Home Is Wherever You Are
by virginalvampire
Summary: Bella Swan is recently divorced and trying to rebuild her life. She meets Edward, a homeless man, who against his better judgment, begs her for help. He needs to be saved. She wants to save him. But he just might save her in return. E/B. AH. Rated M for language and lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**Summary: Thirty-year-old Bella Swan is recently divorced and trying to rebuild her life. She meets Edward, a homeless man, who against his better judgment, begs her for help. He needs to be saved; she wants to save him; but he just might save her in return.**

**A/N: New story! More at the bottom.**

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

**JUNE 2008**

**EPOV**

My pounding heart.

My feet thumping against the pavement.

The sirens. So loud. So close.

Those are the only three sounds I hear as I run for my life.

I squeeze my eyes shut, clench my jaw, and ball up my fists tightly as I push my body to its limit. I know I can't stop running. I need to put as much distance as I can between myself and the fuckery that just happened.

I hit him so fucking hard…

-o-

**JANUARY 2013 **

**BPOV**

"So," Rosalie says with a huge smirk on her face. "How does it feel to be a free, independent, single woman?"

I down my third shot of the night and shrug. "Fine, I suppose."

She narrows her eyes at me. "Really, Bella? 'Fine' – that's all you can give me right now?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to shout from the rooftops that you're free from the asshole who treated you like shit for the past five years! And I want you to put out an ad in the New York Times claiming how small his dick is."

I choke on my fourth shot as giggles erupt from me. "Rosalie Hale!"

"What? It's true! You spent the last two hours complaining about that shit. It's obviously a big deal…or well…it's technically _not_ a _big_ deal I guess." She rolls her eyes. "You'd think that the least he could do was give you a decent orgasm. How did he even have a chance to cheat as much as he did? A small dick and no skills. Makes no damn sense."

I hide my face behind my hands and groan. Apparently Rosalie has been holding in a lot of disdain for my now ex-husband - Jacob, and wants to expunge it all before the ink on my divorce papers has a chance to dry. "How long have you felt this way?" I ask, almost afraid of her answer.

She looks ashamed and answers without meeting my eyes. "Since…I don't know? The first time I met him, I guess." My mouth drops open and she has the decency to look apologetic as she takes my hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to say anything because of the holidays. And then…" She sighs. "You were so upset about Charlie…and he did make you happy…at first." She shrugs. "You never complained until a few months ago…so I figured you guys were good. I didn't want to rock the boat when everything seemed all blissful, perfect matrimony." For the first time since I've met Rosalie Hale – I see uncertainty color her features. "Are you mad at me?"

I scoff and shake my head. "No, of course not. You're right – I never said anything. I just shoved it all down, every time. I wish I had said something sooner; that I'd done something sooner." I give her a sad smile.

I hadn't been happy in a long while. I actually couldn't remember ever being _truly_ happy in the five years that I was married to Jacob. If I'm being completely honest with myself, I know why I married Jacob, and it wasn't for love.

His father and my father were best friends and shoved us together during my summers in Forks. I had decided to live with my father for my final year of high school, to get closer to him before I went away to college and started my "adult life." The summer before I went away to college, Jacob and I became an official couple. That December of my freshman year, when I went back to Forks for Christmas, Rosalie – who was then my new roommate – came with me, because her jet-setting parents were away in Aspen. That was when Rose first met Jacob, Christmas Eve at my dad's house. A few weeks later, my dad passed away. He had an aneurism, and since he lived alone, there was no one there for him.

I struggled with his death, and dropped my classes for the following semester, deciding to stay in Forks instead of returning to New York. Those few months, Jake and I became really close. He was my rock, handling almost all of Charlie's arrangements while I wallowed in my grief. That following summer, before I went back to school – Jake proposed.

I said yes. And like I said, it wasn't because I loved him. I said yes because he was all I had following Charlie's death. I had Rose, but she was thousands of miles away in New York, so I had become dependent on him. He said he loved me. I believed him. He joined me in New York during my junior year of college.

We lived in a ratty apartment together for my last two years of school. By the time I graduated he had established himself as a great mechanic and was working in one of the most prestigious shops – as prestigious as a car shop can be anyway. I went straight into a publishing house job, working as an assistant. We decided to get married quickly, just a city hall type ceremony. We were both working hard but barely had two dimes to rub together.

I had always wanted to be a writer. I had been writing since I was a teenager, and when I was in my senior year of high school, I knew it was what I wanted to do with my life. During my final year of college and that first struggling year in the "real world" after college, I wrote almost every waking moment. The world I created – a world were a vampire and a teenage girl fell in love – was my only escape from my mundane life.

My boss at the time had seen me working on it, asked if he could read it, and the rest is history. I'm now a famous, New York Best Selling, multi-million-dollar author.

I know, right?

I snort and shake my head.

"Bella? What's so funny?"

Rose's question brings me out of my heavy trip down memory lane. "Huh?" I ask, even though I heard her. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"About being a twenty-seven-year-old single woman. How the hell am I going to do this?"

"Do what?"

"Be single!"

"Bella, being single is easy! And fun! Are you really just worried about being alone?" she asks gently.

My lower lip trembles and I nod.

"Oh honey," she slides closer to me on my large leather sofa. "You can do it. Plus, you're not alone. You have me." She smiles. "I'm always here for you, you know that."

"I know."

"Maybe we should slow down, huh?" she asks with a grin. "We do have that early meeting tomorrow morning."

I grimace. "Can you cancel it? Please?" I'm begging but I don't care. Even though I'm technically Rose's boss, since she's my manager, it's no secret that she runs the show. It's partly why I'm so successful. She runs the ship. I just write and do what she says.

"Nope. No can do. It's kind of a big deal, don't you think? Or is a best-selling series possibly become a world-wide on-screen phenomenon, not important to you?"

"Ugh, fine." I give in, knowing she's right. Tomorrow is arguably the most important day of my career – so far anyway. What? I'm an overachiever.

-o-

The next morning, I am seriously wondering what the fuck is wrong with me. Why the hell did I have to drink so much? The only smart decision I made last night was drinking in my own apartment. I have no idea how I would have gotten home last night if we'd gone out to a bar, and when I realize I'm alone, I have no idea how Rose got home.

After spending a half an hour in the bathroom, I feel slightly better; a little more human. Taking a hot shower and brushing your teeth three times will do that to you.

I reach for my iPhone and call Rosalie. When there's no answer, I know she's probably still sleeping. I call Emmett, knowing he's up with the birds every single morning. He answers on the first ring and I smile when I hear his chipper greeting. "Yo, B! Sup?" He sounds winded and I know he's on the treadmill. He's insane.

"Hey, is Rose still sleeping?"

He laughs. "What do you think?"

"Yep. Can you make sure she's up and dressed by at least 7:30? We have an important meeting at the office at 9:00. I'd rather her not be late. You know how I get at these things." I'm pretty much useless.

"Will do. Hey," he says as we're about to hang up. "Good luck today."

"Thanks Em."

I feel better after stopping into my local Starbucks, which thankfully is only a block away from my apartment building. Much to my chagrin, my driver, Marcus, insisted on driving me. He said it wouldn't make much sense for me to walk there only to have to walk back. When he brought up New York City traffic, I knew he was right, and finally relented.

As I'm walking back toward the car - which is unfortunately parked halfway down the block thanks to no parking spots - I hear pain-filled moaning coming from the alley I'm currently passing. Don't ask me why – because I can't give a logical fucking answer. But for some reason, I find my feet carrying me into the alley, even though my brain is screaming for me to turn around and run in the opposite direction.

"Hello?" I ask quietly as I walk deeper into the darker part of the alley. I curse January and the fact that the sun still hasn't risen this early in the morning. "Is anyone there? Are you hurt?"

"Go away," I hear a muffled voice cry from the deepest and darkest part of the alley.

This is the part in the horror movie where I'd be screaming at the stupid bitch to run. Instead of following my own usual advice for this situation, I continue even deeper into the alley. When my eyes adjust to the dark and I spot the crumpled form in the corner, I drop my coffee and gasp. My hands go to my mouth as a whimper escapes my lips.

"A-Are you okay? Oh my God. I'll get you help. I'll call the cops, or an ambulance." I nod to myself because the person in the corner isn't saying anything.

Suddenly, they lurch toward me. I jump back from the dirty, bloody hand. "No! No cops! Please."

The deep voice sounds so terrified that I pause and slip my phone back into my purse. "You need help."

The man, with great effort, makes himself stand. He leans against the wall and places one palm against it for balance. He finally looks up at me and I gasp for a whole new reason when I see his face. His emerald green eyes burn into mine as he swallows hard. "Then help me," he says quietly. "Please."

* * *

**A/N: So…what do you guys think? Love it? Hate it? Are you intrigued? Do you want to read more? PLEASE, leave me a review and let me know your thoughts. This story is going to be different from anything I've ever written before, so I'm just a tad nervous. **

**There will be abuse mentioned in this story, in future chapters, but I won't go into extreme detail. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Also, please remember that this story is rated M for a reason. Language, lemons, and all that good stuff included. You know my love for the word fuck and for lemons if you've ever read anything I've written. **

**P.S: All notes will not be this long, and all chapters will not be this short. Lol**

**As always, I love you to pieces! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**A/N: I'm so glad you guys liked the first chapter. There were a few questions in some reviews, I promise they will all be answered in due time. I won't be answering anything in review replies or PMs. Pay attention to dates. That's all!**

* * *

**JUNE 2010**

**EPOV**

"Please," I whimper, hoping he'll somehow feel bad enough to stop this time. It doesn't work. My whining seems to have the opposite effect on him. Instead of taking it easy on me, instead of stopping – he hits me harder. I gasp as a forceful kick hits my ribs. "Ow," I cry out pathetically, trying to gasp for air.

"Shut the fuck up!" he bellows as he grabs the collar of my shirt, yanking me up off of the floor. "Your mother didn't know when to shut the fuck up either. Look what happened to her." He smiles at me evilly as he pushes me against the wall. "You will not make another sound. Do you understand me?"

I swallow and nod. My eyes widen when I see him remove his belt. His smile becomes more sinister when he sees my fear. "It's time for round two Edward. Remember – not a sound. Trust me, you don't want there to be a round three, you won't like round three. Understood?"

I clench my eyes shut and grit my teeth while I nod.

My eyes snap open and I quickly take in my surroundings. Shit. It was just a dream. I sigh out a breath of relief. But my relief doesn't last long.

"Hey!" someone yells. I hear the sound of approaching footsteps. "Get out of here kid! Go home!" I get up quickly, gathering the only belongings I have in the world – a ratty blanket and my backpack. A backpack, which I only use for a pillow, seeing as it's always empty these days. It used to have a few things in it – spare clothes, pictures, that sort of stuff. Until assholes began robbing me. Then there was the few times I had to trade in my possessions in exchange for staying alive.

Most days I wonder why I would do such a thing – why I would try to stay alive.

As soon as I have my stuff in my hands, I bolt out of the alleyway, running as fast as I can, away from the Chinese restaurant. When I'm a safe enough distance away, I cross the street and enter Central Park. I drop heavily into the nearest empty bench, sprawling across it to let anyone in the vicinity know that they aren't to approach me. I'm not fucking interested in anything anyone has to say anyway.

It's usually sympathy, someone wanting to throw the poor, dirty kid a few bucks. Or it's someone wanting something much more sinister from the kid who obviously has nobody in the world to look out for him. I'm not in the mood for either.

I reach beside me, grabbing a newspaper that someone left behind. I snort when I see the date. I guess tomorrow is my birthday. It's not like it matters. I can't even remember the last time I celebrated a birthday. I guess it had to have been when my mother was still alive. I shut my eyes tightly to fight off the tears that immediately threaten to spill.

Even after all these years, my reaction to thoughts of my mother is emotional and immediate. I wonder, for probably the hundredth time, if my life is ever going to get easier. Probably not. At least not until I'm eighteen.

That's my goal, what I keep telling myself when shit gets me down. "Make it to eighteen" has become my mantra. Once I'm eighteen, I can get a couple of under the table jobs. I just have to work enough odd jobs to make enough money to get fake papers. I need a fake name. I can never again be Edward Masen. Because even when I'm eighteen, I won't be completely safe.

Sure, social services won't be able to touch me when I'm eighteen. So I don't have to worry about be putting in a group home or a foster home. But when I'm eighteen…the cops can still get me. If I…if I killed him that night, two years ago, I know for a fact that I'll go to jail.

I ball my fists together as the all too familiar anger takes hold of me.

That motherfucker took everything from me. He won't take my freedom. I just gotta make it to eighteen. Then I'll work. Get papers. Make lots of money. Yeah…I'll start a new, great life. I smile as I lay down on the bench, dreaming of the future that's two years away. I can make it. I know I can. I fucking have to.

**Present Day - JANUARY 2013**

All of the air leaves me as his foot slams into my ribs. I gasp and curl in on myself, trying to get into the fetal position in an effort to protect myself. I clench my eyes shut as I try to fight off the panic welling inside me. This beating seems far too familiar to me. I battle back my anxiety and tell myself that at least it's not _him_.

"You thought you could run from Aro Volturi?" the man sneers as he kicks me again, this time the heel of his expensive Italian boot smashing into my face. "You owe him money, Edward. Where's his money?"

"I-I don't have it," I sputter, spitting out blood. I run my tongue along my teeth and inwardly sigh when I feel that all of my front teeth are still intact. "I'll get it!" I scream as he pulls his foot back in preparation to strike again. "I promise. I'll get every fucking dime of it."

The man smiles down at me as he buttons the expensive suit coat. "That's good." He nods. "Remember Edward, we will always find you, as we did today. If you do not have Aro's money, you will not walk away from our next meeting. Understood?"

"Yes," I gasp.

He walks away, leaving me alone and bleeding in the darkening alley. After a lot of struggling, I manage to get myself safely into a corner. I rest my back gingerly against the brick wall.

I allow my mind to drift, thinking of random things in an effort to distract my mind from the blinding pain that's shooting through my entire body. I laugh without any trace of humor when I remember my naïve sixteen year old self.

It's comical now, to remember how I thought once I turned eighteen, everything would be perfect. I was so fucking stupid, thinking that once I could get fake papers and work a good enough job, I'd somehow make it in this fucked up world.

Well…I fucking didn't make it. I've "celebrated" my eighteenth birthday and nothing has fucking changed. I finally got my papers, and for anyone who needs to know, I am now Edward Cullen. I'm twenty-one-years-old, and from New York. No one will ever again hear of Edward Masen, the fourteen-year-old runaway from Chicago.

But a new name doesn't mean much when you have nothing to go along with it. Finding a job, even with fake papers, doesn't really work out when you don't have anywhere to live. And finding somewhere to live with no money, credit, or references is impossible. So yeah, I'm stuck in a fucked up cycle that I'll probably never be able to get out of.

That's why I went to Aro Volturi in the first place. I wanted to get my own place, ya know? I don't want or need much. A fucking bed in an empty room is like a palace to me and I'd gladly fucking cherish it. So I figured, hey, I'll borrow a thousand bucks offa Aro and get a room at a shitty fucking hostel for a month. I figured that would be enough time to find a good job and then I could save up money to pay Aro back and have enough for first, last, and security to put down on a shithole apartment, right? Wrong.

I got the room and paid for it up front, but the sleaze ball manager acted like he had no fucking idea who I was when I returned from work two days ago. He claimed he'd never seen me before and that I needed to get off his property. I screamed at him for a good half an hour while I tried to get passed him and up to my room. I'd paid for the entire month in advance like a moron, and he was now fucking me over. I wasn't going to stand for it, until he threatened to call the cops. He knew he had me when I visibly tensed up.

I didn't even have a chance to get my shit. I had to run as he began dialing.

I cringe when a deep breath sends a sharp pain to my ribs.

_Fuck_. I really hope I don't have a punctured lung or some shit. That would really suck, considering I don't have health insurance. A deep laugh surprises the shit out of me, until I realize it's coming from me. _Health insurance!_ Who the fuck can afford that shit? Plus, thanks to the dick head manager, I don't even have my fake papers anymore, so a hospital is definitely out.

I'm back at square one.

Stuck without a paddle up shit's creek.

I feel my eyes starting to get heavy, and I know I probably shouldn't sleep, given the circumstances, but fuck, I can't move and I can't find it in me to care. At this point, I wouldn't mind falling asleep and never waking up.

I open my eyes after what feels like only a few minutes, but must have been hours – considering that there's a garbage truck driving by. It has to be early morning now. I try to move, but it's still pretty much impossible. I take stock of my body, noting that my ribs feel even worse than they did last night, probably because I slept sitting up against a brick fucking wall.

After a few minutes, I try to stand again. I make it up onto my knees and just as I'm able to get myself onto one foot, my body shuts down, collapsing beneath me. I cry out, feeling incredible pain shoot through my entire body. I curl into a ball and wrap myself up as much as I possibly can while I groan and try my best to hold back fucking tears. I haven't cried in years, knowing that if I start, I'll never stop.

"Hello?" I tense up when I hear a stranger's voice ring out in the darkness of the alley. "Is anyone there? Are you hurt?" My shoulders lose a little of their tension when I finally register that it's a woman's voice, but I'm still on alert. Over the years I've realized that women can be monsters just like men, and are definitely capable of being a threat – maybe even more than men at times.

"Go away," I try to growl, hoping to scare her off.

Unfortunately I hear the distinct sound of heels getting closer, which means she isn't fucking leaving. Suddenly, something drops to the ground, followed by an audible gasp. "A-Are you okay?" the voice asks me. "Oh my God. I'll get you help. I'll call the cops, or an ambulance."

When her words click in my head, my eyes widen and I reach out toward her. I don't know why, it's not like I can stop her if she's going to call. "No! No cops! Please." I'm begging this stranger. But I can't afford the cops to be anywhere near me. Especially when I can't even stand. I'll never outrun them.

I relax a little bit when I watch her slip her phone back into her bag. "You need help."

Normally I would roll my eyes at this stranger and tell them to fuck off. When has anyone ever cared about me before? If someone wants to help you it's only because they want something. But that retort dies in my throat when I really get a look at this woman's face.

Her face is beautiful. There's really no denying it. Long mahogany hair frames a lovely heart-shaped face. Her big brown eyes are full of concern and unshed tears and when I see her lip quiver slightly, I want to comfort her, as bizarre as that seems.

I take a deep breath and struggle to finally stand. When I'm standing, using the wall for balance, I look directly into her eyes. I have no idea what I'm even searching for, but suddenly I know my subconscious has found whatever it needed to find.

I take another deep breath and do the one thing I never thought I'd do. "Then help me. Please."

I ask for her help. For the first time in my life, I asked for help.

Now all I have to do, is hope that it doesn't bite me in the ass.

-o-

**BPOV**

The stranger's words ring through my head a few times before they actually register. He wants me to help him, but he doesn't want me to call the cops or an ambulance? I'm at a loss for what to do. It's not every day that you find a man looking about three breaths away from death in a dark and dingy alley.

"I'm sorry, but you don't want me to call for help, so how _can_ I help you?"

He runs his free hand through his hair. "I…I don't know."

"I could…give you a ride to the hospital?" I don't think Marcus would mind, and if he did…well I'd just have to pull the old "boss card" out.

He frowns and shakes his head. "I don't have insurance."

_Shit_. I bite my lip as I try to think. An idea hits me and I reach for my phone. The stranger visibly tenses and begins shaking his head rapidly. "Don't worry," I assure him. "I'm not calling 911. I'm calling my friend." He hesitates for a second before he nods once. I dial Emmett's number and wait anxiously for him to answer. I breathe out a big sigh of relief when he answers on the second ring.

"Hey B. Don't worry. Rosalie is up and about to leave for the office." He chuckles, but when I say nothing, he abruptly stops. Emmett has been dating Rose ever since I met her. He's not just my best friend's fiancé, he's also my best friend as well, so his instant recognition that something is wrong doesn't surprise me. "What's wrong Bella?"

"Can you head into the office with Rose? I need your help with something."

"Um…sure. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Can you bring your first-aid kit?"

"Sure."

He hangs up without any more questions, which is another reason why I love him.

I take a few careful steps toward the stranger, who seems more like a trapped animal than a human right now. "Um…" I bite my lip. "I want to help you. Would you like to come to my office with me? My friend is a personal trainer. I know that's not a doctor or anything…but he's really smart when it comes to the human body. He might be able to help you."

He stares at me for a solid minute (I counted) before he nods slowly.

"Is it okay if I help you walk?" He nods again. I slowly make my way toward him so I don't startle him. When I'm finally beside him, I hold out my hand. He just stares at it for a second before gently placing his hand in mine.

I ignore the slight jolt that courses up my arm, not wanting to scare him.

It takes about ten minutes to make our way to the mouth of the alley. I reach into my purse and take out my phone. "Don't worry," I say to the tense man beside me. "Marcus," I say when he picks up on the first ring. "I need you to meet me up the street. Just drive slowly and you'll see me."

A minute later Marcus pulls up. His eyes widen when he exits the car and takes in the man beside me. "Ms. Swan?" he asks uncertainly as he eyes Edward suspiciously. "Is this man bothering you? Do I need to call the police?"

"No!" Edward and I both yell simultaneously.

Marcus' eyes widen even further - something I wouldn't think to be possible. "Okay," he nods slowly. "Um…_who_ is this?"

"My name is Edward," the man says quietly.

"This is my friend Edward," I say to Marcus. I can suddenly feel Edward's eyes on me, but I don't break eye contact with Marcus. "He'll be coming with us to the office. Please open the door." My voice leaves no room for argument and Marcus easily complies. I instantly put the privacy screen up when we're settled in the backseat. "I'm sorry," I apologize quietly. "He was very rude."

Edward lets out a small chuckle, but there's no humor in it at all. "It's fine. I'm used to it."

I want to ask him a million questions. I want to know what happened to him and why he was alone in that alley. I want to help him. I have such a need…a _desire_…to help this man. I don't ask any of the questions I want to ask though. I'm too afraid of the answers.

Edward doesn't speak after that.

The rest of the ride to the office is silent.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**A/N: We're off to the office.**

* * *

**EPOV **

My entire body is screaming run as I stand next to this brown-haired angel. Is she an angel? I look at her out of my periphery vision and wonder what kind of person she is. Where is she taking me? Who is this Marcus person? Does she want to hurt me; exploit me while I'm weak and vulnerable?

A million thoughts are rushing through my head as a sleek black BMW pulls up in front of us. A plump man exits, wearing a black suit. After the man eyes me suspiciously, I'm not really surprised by what comes out of the asshole's mouth. "Ms. Swan? Is this man bothering you?" I'm about to glare at him, but his next words do surprise me. "Do I need to call the police?"

"NO!" I shout frantically, my eyes widening, because Ms. Swan, as he called her, screams right along with me.

The man's eyes widen and he nods slowly. He pulls at his tie, looking as awkward as I feel. "Okay. Um…_who_ is this?"

"My name is Edward," I say quietly. _Shit_. Did I just say my name out loud? Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Ms. Swan looks at me for a beat before she nods her head and speaks. "This is my friend Edward," she says to Marcus. "He'll be coming with us to the office. Please open the door."

I'm blatantly staring at her now, but I can't help it. Not only did she call me her friend – when was the last time anyone had ever called me their friend? – but she also put Marcus in his place, probably because of the way he spoke to me. Why does she care how someone speaks to me? He spoke to me like I was scum and I am. That's just the way shit is.

Once we're inside the car, Ms. Swan presses a button and thankfully, a black screen rises between us and Marcus, giving us some privacy. "I'm sorry," she says softly without looking at me. "He was very rude."

I laugh bitterly. "It's fine. I'm used to it."

It's true. For as long as I can remember people have treated me like an inconvenient piece of shit on the bottom of their favorite shoe. Why would it be any different now? Of course, I don't say that to Ms. Swan. As we ride along in silence, I just hope that she's different. That she won't…hurt me. Because honestly? I don't know how much more pain I can take – physically or emotionally. My heart just can't take any more heartache.

When we pull up outside of a fancy office building a bad feeling settles in the pit of my stomach, because suddenly, without a doubt in my mind or my heart, I know that this Ms. Swan has the power to cause that – more heartache – even if she doesn't know it yet.

After a painfully awkward and silent elevator ride, all the way up the 50th floor, we step out into a very luxurious office space. A beautiful brunette smiles from behind a ginormous desk as we approach. "Ms. Swan! Good morning!" she rushes out from behind the desk with a cup of coffee from Starbucks in her hand. "Here's your coffee. Mr. McCarty and Ms. Hale are waiting for you in your private office." She finally seems to notice me. "Um…hello." She holds out her hand for a few seconds and then awkwardly pulls it back after realizing I'm not going to shake it. "My name is Jessica. If you need anything, please let me know."

She eyes me appraisingly, even though I'm covered in about a week's worth of dirt and about a pint of my own blood. Okay, that's a little exaggerated, but still. What the fuck is wrong with this chick? I barely resist rolling my eyes, not wanting to be rude. Hell, it's not like I'm really in the best position to judge others, anyway.

Ms. Swan coughs and Jessica's eyes snap to hers. At least she has the decency to give a sheepish smile. She shrugs and shakes her head a couple of times. "Sorry," she murmurs. "If you need anything, please let me know."

"Will do," is all Ms. Swan says before lacing her fingers with mine and pulling me along.

After I get over the utter shock, I stumble along after her. Holy shit. What was that zap I felt? Did she feel it too? If she did, she doesn't let on. She continues to lead me down a long hallway, at the end of which is a big dark wood door. It looks ominous for some reason. Probably because I don't know what the fuck lays beyond it.

I read the name on the door. Isabella Swan. Hm. Isabella? That's a beautiful fucking name. Honestly, I wouldn't expect anything less. I wonder if she goes by Isabella or maybe…Bella? Shit. That would literally fit her perfectly. Doesn't Bella mean beautiful in Italian or some shit? Maybe it's French. Whatever fucking language it is – I know it means beautiful. I may not have a high school diploma, but I am not stupid.

Ms. Swan, er, Bella, turns around suddenly. "Listen. I'm sorry for just…dragging you down here." She rolls her eyes. "But you wouldn't let me call the authorities and I wasn't going to let you just…rot in an alleyway. I told you I wouldn't call the cops and I won't. But I need you to trust me. Okay?" She waits a second for me to respond, but I don't. For some reason, I don't want to lie to her, and I know opening my mouth and agreeing to trust her would be doing just that. I don't trust anyone. It's one of my most basic rules.

She sighs and runs her hands through her hair a few times. "Behind this door are two of my very best friends in the world. Whether or not you can trust me, just know that _I_ can trust _them_. They won't say a word about this to anyone, okay?" I nod. "I have a huge meeting today, otherwise I would cancel it. Will you be okay if I leave you with my friend Emmett? He can fix you up pretty good. And then…after my meeting we can…talk. Or something." She blushes. What the hell? "I don't know," she huffs and rolls her eyes. "Sound good?"

"Uh…yeah, sure." What the fuck else am I supposed to say to all of that?

I know I need a doctor, but I also know that's not really possible. Plus, beggars can't be fucking choosers. So I suck it up and nod as well for good measure. Bella gives me a breathtaking fucking smile that almost brings me right to my knees. Well, that and the fact that I think a couple of my ribs are broken and I just walked a shit ton, practically unsupported. However…I think it's mostly because of how goddamn gorgeous Isabella Swan is.

When Bella reaches for the door handle, I take a deep, painful fucking breath, knowing for some reason that my life is about to change – one way or another.

"Bella!" A loud and masculine voice booms, at the same exact time a shrill female voice shouts out a colorful, "What the fuck, B?"

I look at the couple in front of me before glancing at Bella to my right. She squares her shoulders and a look of determination colors her features. Shit. This can't be good, can it? She surprises me yet again, because I definitely don't expect what she says next. "What's up?"

"What's up? What's up?! Are you fucking kidding me, Isabella Marie Swan?" Damn. Blondie over there took the words right of my mouth. I run my hand through my hair and take a few steps to the left when Blondie approaches Bella quickly. She places her hands on her hips and levels a glare so fierce I'm a little afraid of her myself, and she's not even yelling at me! She has some serious skills. "That's all you have to say for yourself? You call Emmett, telling him that he needs to come in with me because you need medical help? Do you know how worried I've been? I was this close," she holds her thumb and index finger millimeters apart, "to calling the police."

"No!" I say suddenly. As soon as the words are out of my mouth, Blondie glares at me. I close my eyes tightly and silently curse myself. I really need to stop shouting shit out loud. It's never going to end well for me.

"Excuse me? Who the fuck are you?" She looks me over, but I don't bristle at her attention. I can tell she's not being rude, she's just genuinely curious and afraid for her friend. I can't fault her for that.

Already, only hours into knowing her, I myself am very protective of Isabella Swan.

"Sorry," I mutter. "I'm Edward."

"Do you have a _last_ name Edward?" she asks with a tilt of her head.

"Yes."

"Can you tell me what it is?"

"No."

The man behind her barks out a laugh, and when she turns the full force of her glare on him he tries to disguise it as a cough. The way she huffs lets me know that she's not fooled at all. Plus, he looks like he's about to shit his pants.

"Well-" Blondie is about to go in for the kill, I can tell, but Bella cuts her off.

"He's my friend Rose, and he doesn't answer to you. Emmett," she faces the big burly man. "Could you help Edward out? Check him out. Fix him up. Keep him company. Rose and I shouldn't be long. Isn't that right Rose?" She grins at Blondie…er…Rose. Rose huffs again but nods.

She walks quickly over to the big guy and beings talking quietly to him. Bella takes the opportunity to speak to me alone. "Are you going to be okay?" I nod. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll be okay. Thank you for doing this. I'll be out of here as soon as I can."

"No!" she whisper-yells. "Please stay here. Promise me that when I get back, you'll be here."

Against my better judgment, I take a deep breath and speak. "I promise."

When the door clicks shut behind Bella and Blondie, I know that it'll be a really hard promise to keep.

"So," Emmett chuckles awkwardly. "Let's get this show on the road, yeah?" When he takes a step toward me, I take a reflexive step back. He raises his hands slowly. "Hey man, I'm not gonna hurt you, all right? I think someone's done enough of that, don't you?" He raises an eyebrow and I nod stiffly. "In this bag," he says as he picks up a medical bag, "I have stuff that will help you feel better. Cool?"

"Yeah."

After I take a shower in the en suite bathroom – who has an en suite bathroom in their office? – Emmett spends the next hour doing what said he'd do – he helps me. I do, in fact, have two broken ribs. They feel slightly better after Emmett wraps them and gives me a few painkillers. He cleans up the cuts on my face and bandages them. Over all, when he's done, I feel slightly better.

"Thanks for the clothes," I say quietly, feeling slightly embarrassed. I don't know this dude at all, yet he's helped me more than anyone ever has. He cleaned me up and gave me new clothes. I don't know how to show gratitude at all. Hopefully my pathetic thank you is enough.

"No problem man," Emmett shrugs. "So…how'd you meet Bella?" He looks me over. His eyes are not judgmental, but I don't trust him. So I just shrug. He sighs but says nothing. Thankfully a few minutes later, Bella enters her office.

"Hey," she says warily, eyeing me carefully.

I give her a little smile, but she gasps, so I look away. I have no idea why I smiled at her in the first place. She probably can't wait to get rid of me.

_Then why'd she make you promise to stay?_

She probably wants to make sure I don't do anything to harm her. She's obviously really well-off and I now know her place of work. She probably just doesn't want to end on bad terms. Who would want a homeless dude showing up at their work?

_She doesn't know that you're homeless._

"Thank you Emmett," I hear her say. "Rose wants you to meet her for lunch."

"All right." He walks toward me and extends his hand. I take a deep breath and swallow down the anxiety that rises. I take his offered hand and give him a firm shake. He smiles and hands me a card. "Call me if ya need anything. Cool?"

"Cool."

The tension is almost unbearable when it's just Bella and I left alone in her office. I have no idea what to say, but thankfully Bella speaks up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." My answer is immediate and…actually _true_. I feel better than I have in a while. That shower was my first in about four days. And the painkillers are working their magic.

"Good. That's good." She looks nervous, but I can't understand why. "Edward," she takes a deep breath. "I want you to come home with me."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has taken interest in this story. I wanna give a shout out to Kitty Vuitton for rec'ing this on FB. That means a whole lot to me. For those of you who reviewed, you received your teaser. Let's see what Edward's answer is, yeah? :)**

* * *

**BPOV**

As soon as we're out of my office, Rosalie Hale descends. She's been my best friend for years, but right now all I really want to do is smack the hell out of her. I've tuned out her ranting and raving the entire walk to the conference room. But now it's time to put a stop to it. She knows as well as I do that this meeting is going to be the most important of both our lives.

"Rose," I turn around and hold up a hand. "Stop. Honestly, I haven't heard a word you've said. And I don't intend to listen." Hurt flashes across her face, causing a wave of guilt to run through me. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, taking a second to control myself. When I open them, I see that she's biting her lip. "I'm sorry. Okay? I just…_I_ don't know what's going on right now, so it's hard to explain to _you_."

She's quiet for a few minutes but finally nods. "Just promise me one thing, okay?" I nod. "Be careful."

"I will. I promise. And if I need any kind of help – _you_ will be the first to know."

Rose gives me a small smile and I know she's okay now. "Are you ready to kick some fucking ass in there?" Yeah, my Rose is back.

"Yep." I hold out my hand for a fist bump. As soon as our fists connect, we burst into a fit of giggles. "I'm nervous."

"Don't be. Remember, they're the ones who want the movie rights to your books. Don't let anyone push you around in there."

"Right."

About an hour later, we exit the conference room.

"Isabella!"

I turn to see the man that I just met – James Hunter, sprinting toward me.

"Yes?" I ask warily. He's one of the executives for the studio that just bought movie rights to my books. He tried to battle me on a few key points in the story – points I wasn't willing to give up. I also fought tooth and nail for a producer seat. I want to be on set as often as I can; I want to make sure they don't butcher something that means so much to me. I'll also have the final say over the script, something the screenwriter wasn't too happy about; but I really don't give a shit.

"Hey." He smiles as he stands in front of me. "I was wondering, uh, could I maybe have your number?"

I let out a small laugh. "You have my number James. It's in the packet."

He frowns. "That's your work contact information. Surely you don't use the same number for your private life?"

"Oh." I bite my lip. Is he hitting on me? Why does Edward's face flash in front of my eyes? "No. I have a separate number for my personal life."

He smiles. "Yeah, me too. That's what I meant." He lets out a nervous laugh and runs a hand through his short blond hair. He's not unattractive; he's actually very attractive. Short blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a very nice jaw complete his face. I can't be too sure about his body, but I have to admit that he wears that suit very well.

He notices my ogling and I can see the cocky grin overtake his face, making him slightly unattractive. I lift my chin and narrow my eyes at him. "But I don't give it out to strangers." His face falls and I walk away before he can respond.

Rose says nothing as we walk back down the hall, until we reach her office. "Hey, can you tell Em to meet me here for lunch once he's done helping your _friend_?" I ignore the way she says friend, knowing she wants a reaction from me.

So instead, I continue walking and shrug. "Sure," I say nonchalantly. I smile when I hear her huff, but she says nothing further, and with Rosalie Hale – that's a win.

I wait outside the door to my office, feeling slightly nervous. What the hell am I doing? I'm in way over my head. I have no idea how to help this mystery man. _Edward_. That's his name. How am I going to help him? Why was he left, beaten and broken in that dark and dingy alley? Who hurt him? And it's obviously not just his current physical abuse. It's clear that someone hurt him a long time ago. I inhale a few deep, calming breaths and gently open the door to my office.

I can tell that there's some tension between Emmett and Edward, but thankfully there's no new injuries on Edward's body and Emmett has no injuries at all. When Edward spots me, I see a little bit of tension leave him. I smile internally on the effect I seem to have on him; no matter how small.

I speak softly, hoping to convey that all I want is to help him. "Hey."

Edward doesn't respond with words. He gives me a small lopsided grin. A flash of heat rushes through my body so quickly that I gasp as the sensation overwhelms me. _What the fuck was that? _I internally cringe when Edward quickly avoids eye contact with me, probably thinking he scared me or something. I decide to get Emmett out of here. Maybe it'll be less awkward.

_Fat chance. _

"Thank you, Emmett. Rose wants you to meet her in her office for lunch."

After exchanging a semi-awkward goodbye with Edward, Emmett is gone. Unfortunately the awkward doesn't go with him. It's like its own entity, surrounding us both to the point of near suffocation. I decide to break the ice. "Are you okay?"

His response is fast and immediate. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I want to roll my eyes. Clearly he's _not_ fine. How can I just let him walk out of here? The thought of him leaving my office and ending up in another alley, or worse – a grave, makes me internally cringe. I fidget nervously as I try to come up with a game plan. He won't let me contact the authorities. Maybe I could bring him to a family member? Or maybe a homeless shelter, if he has no family to go to for help. I don't know how he'll take that, but it's all I've got right now.

"Good. That's good." I'm stalling, trying to get up the courage to broach the subject. "Edward," he looks at me with the saddest pair of eyes. His mask isn't up and he's not aware of it. Suddenly, different words are tumbling from my lips. "I want you to come home with me."

His eyes widen and my face heats in a deep, hot, embarrassing blush. I can't believe I just said that! However, instead of taking the words back, or running out of my office, I hold my chin high and look him in the eye. I refuse to show weakness. I won't be one of the weak people who turn their backs on him because it's easier than helping. And who am I kidding? The state of his clothing, besides the blood, was terrible. I'm almost positive he has no family who are willing to help and I'm pretty sure he has no place to go.

He sputters a few times, clearly looking for the words to say. My palms sweat as I wait for his answer. _Please_ say yes. Let me help you.

"Why do you want me to come home with you? What does that mean?" He bites his lip and runs a hand through his crazy mess of penny-colored hair.

"Um…" I walk over to my desk and sit behind it, trying to buy some time. He follows and sits in a chair on the opposite side. "I don't know." I shake my head. He looks confused. _Welcome to my world_. "I just…I don't want you to go back out on the streets. I want you to be safe."

It's an easy way to gauge his reaction to the whole "homeless thing" without rudely asking him.

"And what about you?" he asks.

The fact that he doesn't deny that the streets are where he'll end up again answers my question for me. However, his question in return only confuses me.

"What about me?"

"Don't _you_ want to be safe?"

Okay. I'm really confused. I scrunch up my nose and stare at him. "What do you mean? I am safe."

"How safe will you be with a strange homeless man under your roof?"

Ah. There it is. Confirmed.

I swallow back my sadness for him and say the first thing that comes to mind. "You won't hurt me."

His jaw clenches. "How do you know that?"

I shrug. "I don't know how. I just do."

He suddenly stands and begins pacing. He shakes his head and stops, leveling me with a forceful glare. "You know nothing about me! I could be a monster! I could be a…a _killer_!" He chuckles darkly when my eyes widen. "Still want me to be your new _roommate_?"

For some reason, I don't hesitate. "Yes."

He plops back down into the chair, sighing and shoving his face into his hands. "I don't understand," he mutters. He shakes his head a few times before looking up at me. His eyes are filled with unshed tears. "What do you want from me?"

I'm taken aback by his question. What do I want from him? "I…I don't want anything from you Edward. What do you mean?"

"Do you want me to be your butler? Do you want me to be your errand boy? How about your cook? Or maybe your sex slave?"

Heat rises in my face once more at his last suggestion. Sex slave? Visions of a naked Edward fill my mind, along with a few dirty fantasies. I suddenly realize that he's staring at me and I try hard to compose myself. "N-No Edward," I stutter. "None of that. I just…" I bite my lip.

"You just what?"

"I want to help you."

His eyes soften for a second, but it's gone in the next. He pulls up his mask of indifference. "Nobody helps without a price. What's yours?"

"I don't have a price," I answer softly, hoping he'll believe me. "I don't have a hidden agenda Edward. I don't know why but I feel…very protective of you. Let's make a deal, okay?" He nods slowly. "You come home with me tonight. And if you feel uncomfortable or you realize you don't want to stay – you can leave. I'll never bother you again."

He looks at me skeptically. "Just like that?"

I smile. "Just like that."

He stares at me so long that I begin fidgeting underneath his intense gaze. When he opens his mouth, I hold my breath. One simple words fills me with happiness and relief. "Okay."

"Okay?" I ask stupidly. I don't know why I ask. Probably because I'd like a little more commitment than just an "okay," but all he does is nod; I guess that's all I'm going to get. "Okay," I say with authority that I don't feel. I already feel like I'm in over my head, but I refuse to give up on helping this man who so blatantly and desperately needs it.

Edward turns away from me quickly and swipes at his eyes. I know he's crying. I quickly look away and busy myself with something on my computer. What I'd really like to do is launch myself across my desk and wrap the broken man in my arms, but I know that I can't.

"So…what now?" Edward asks me. His voice is rough with emotion, but I choose to ignore it, otherwise I'm going to breakdown myself.

"Well…I have to make a few calls and answer a few emails. Maybe we could grab some lunch and then head to my place?" I'm hoping that having lunch with him will give us some more get-to-know-you time before we go to my apartment. Maybe it'll make things less awkward. "Does that sound okay?" He just shrugs. I sigh. "Do you want to wait out in the lobby while I get this done?"

His eyes widen. "D-Do I have to?"

"Um…no. You can stay here if you'd like to."

"Yeah." He nods quickly, wrapping his arms around himself. "I'd like that."

"Are you tired?"

"A little. A brick wall isn't the comfiest thing to sleep against."

I can't tell if he's trying to be sarcastic or not, so I ignore his comment. "Feel free to lay on the couch over there." I nod toward the corner of my office. "I'll wake you when it's time to go."

"Okay." He makes his way over to the couch and curls in on himself, resting his head on one of the pillows. I watch him for a few moments, waiting until I see his breathing even out. When I'm sure he's asleep, I get back to work. After returning a few emails to the studio and a call from my publishing house, I give myself a few more minutes to stare at a sleeping Edward.

He looks so peaceful. I have to admit, homeless or not, he is the most attractive man I have ever set my eyes on. A strong, defined jaw, a perfectly shaped nose, great cheekbones, and the longest eyelashes that I've ever seen on a man are some of his best facial features. Hell, even the mop of strange reddish-brown, copper-colored hair that sits in constant disarray on the top of his head is sexy. And please _do not_ get me started on the beautifully vibrant green eyes that are hiding just behind those lids.

When he starts to stir, I pull out my cell phone, hoping to seem busy. I hear him groan, so I look over and I have to fight back the desire that surges through me. Edward is up and stretching. I bite my lip when his plain white t-shirt rides up slightly, exposing a few defined muscles and his treasure trail. I'd love to follow that trail to his pot of gold.

_Focus Bella!_ You're here to help him, not take advantage of him.

His words from earlier sober me up. I'm sure many people have taken advantage of this poor man. I mean, sex slave? Has he been _that_ before for someone? Pity and rage battle within me and…_jealousy_? What the hell? Why am I jealous?

"Feeling rested?" I ask. I cringe internally when I hear how breathy my voice sounds. So much for focusing.

"Er, yeah. Thanks. I needed that."

I nod and he scratches his stomach. What would it be like to rake my nails up and down his chest? Would he groan or moan?

_Shit_.

This is getting me nowhere.

"Um…are you feeling up to lunch now?" I ask, trying to direct the conversation and control my own hormones. He nods. I grab my jacket and realize something. "Do you have a jacket?"

He bites his lip and shakes his head. "No. I just had that hoodie and uh…I don't want to wear that out to lunch with you."

"Why?"

"Well it's covered and blood, and I mean…look at you." He gestures toward me with his hand.

"What about me?"

He shakes his head and avoids eye contact. "I'm sorry. I guess we can't go out."

"Don't be silly, of course we can. Emmett's jeans fit you right?"

"Um yeah. The shirts a little big though, so anything he'd have for upper body will probably be too big too. That dude is jacked."

I chuckle and nod, agreeing. "Yeah. He has a little bit of an obsession. Hold on." I slip out and head toward the lobby. "Hey Jess, do we have anything in the lost and found? Jackets or anything like that?"

She looks at me curiously, but thankfully says nothing. She pulls the box out from beneath her desk and when I spot a grey wool pea coat, I snatch it. "This will do. Thanks."

I head back to my office and find Edward sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. "Hey," I say quietly, not wanting to scare him. "You okay?" He looks up at me and the second I see his red-rimmed eyes, I sit down beside him. Without thinking, I reach for his hand and give it a tight squeeze. He doesn't flinch or pull away from me, so I continue holding his hand. "You can tell me what's wrong."

He lets out a humorless laugh and shakes his head. "So much is wrong. Let's start with how I'm fucking crying in a stranger's office. I don't know. I'm sorry Ms. Swan."

"Call me Bella." His eyes widen and I roll mine. "You're going to be my roommate for a while, I think you should be able to call me by my first name."

"Isn't your first name Isabella?" he asks with a cocked eyebrow. When I raise an eyebrow of my own, he continues. "I saw your name on your door."

"Ah, you're observant. My name _is_ Isabella, but my friends call me Bella."

He looks at me curiously for a minute before he speaks. "Am _I _your friend, Bella?"

I answer honestly. "I hope so." I give his hand a final squeeze and then stand up, handing him the coat. "This will look great with those jeans. You ready for lunch?" He doesn't question where I got the coat from and he doesn't question my extended hand. He just nods and holds my hand, like it's the most natural thing in the world.

As we walk out of my office building, I have the biggest smile on my face.

-o-

"This is where you planned on going to lunch?" Edward asks skeptically as I pull into the parking lot of the local Five Guys. First he was shocked that I can drive my own damn car and now he's shocked that I like to eat burgers and fries? I roll my eyes and try to fight back the annoyance.

"Yeah, why? What's wrong with burgers and fries?" He opens his mouth and closes it right back up, shaking his head. "Edward?" I know I'm pushing him, but he's acting weird. I want to know what his deal is about something as simple as lunch.

"You uh…just don't seem like the kind of girl that eats here." He must see my eyebrows rise because he quickly backtracks. "I don't mean anything bad by it! You're just…confusing." His brow furrows like he's thinking extremely hard. He has the cutest pout on his face when he concentrates.

"What's confusing about me?"

"Well…you want to help me, for no reason." I nod. "You drive a Volvo…" I narrow my eyes at him. He said Volvo like it was a disease or something. "And now you want to eat at Five Guys."

"Why is all of that confusing?"

"I don't mean to be rude but…aren't you like, really fucking rich?"

The second the curse word slips from his pouty lips, heat pools between my thighs. I shake my head to clear it of the dirty thoughts that invade my mind; much naughtier situations where Edward could use the word _fuck_.

I have no idea how to answer his question. So I just shrug. I was wondering if maybe Edward knew who I was. It's rare for someone to have absolutely _no_ idea who I am, but it's not that strange for guys to not know who I am. My fan base is screaming teenage girls and their mothers, mostly. So I'm really not surprised that Edward, who's a guy, has no idea who the hell I am, especially in the situation he was in. I'm sure when you have nowhere to lay your head you're not too inclined to read a book about vampire romance. "You ready to eat?"

He regards me silently for a minute and then nods stiffly.

Once we're inside, I order my usual. "You're gonna eat all of that?" Edward asks me with wide eyes. I'm about to give him a bitchy retort but his next words stop me. "Do you eat like this all the time? How the hell do you keep looking so damn…" he stops himself from finishing his sentence but I don't miss the groan he lets out as he turns away.

Instead of overanalyzing what all of that meant, I ignore it. "What would you like Edward?" I ask sweetly.

"I'll have the same thing and a Coke please."

Once we're seated, I get up and walk over to the big tub of peanuts. I load a huge amount into my little box and see Edward's eyes rake over me appreciatively. _Keep your cool, Bella_. You're only going to be his friend. That's what he needs. _A friend_. Giving into whatever the hell this is, will only complicate things further than they already are.

When I sit down and take two fries in my mouth at a time, it ignites something in Edward. I'd love to say watching my mouth made him launch across the table and attack me, but it didn't. It made him attack his burger. I swear to God, his bacon cheeseburger was gone in about a minute flat.

"Do you want another one?" I ask with a cocked eyebrow. His face heats up with a blush and I inwardly curse myself. I don't want to make him feel embarrassed. He shakes his head and is about to say something but I hold up my hand to stop him. I'm sure he hasn't had a decent, filling meal in forever. "I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable, but they're five dollar burgers, and like you said, I'm fucking rich right?" I give him a bright smile that grows bigger when Edward actually lets out a laugh. I hand him a twenty and after telling him to "go nuts" he rolls his eyes and walks back toward the register.

I don't even bat an eyelash when he comes back with another burger and a cheese dog, along with another order of fries and another large coke. Instead, I decide I should get to know him. "So…" I trail off, realizing that this is a lot harder when I don't know what I'm allowed to ask. I decide on something safe. "How old are you?"

His eyes widen and he swallows hard. So much for safe. He surprises me when he answers. "Nineteen." My eyes widen in surprise. "What?" he asks defensively.

"You're only nineteen?" He nods. "Wow." He raises an eyebrow and I shrug. "You're just so…" I swallow. "Mature looking." I swear he smirks at me, but it's gone before I can call him on it.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-seven."

His eyes widen once more and he chokes on a bite of his burger. I let out a small laugh that Edward joins me in once he manages to swallow the food in his mouth. "Wow," he mutters shaking his head. "I would never think you were older than like…twenty-three? And that's only because of how…successful you are. Otherwise I'd think you were still in college or something."

I blush at his backhanded compliment. "Thank you?" It's more of a question. He nods. "So…um…this time I'm not trying to be rude," I give him a small grin, which he returns. "Why were you in that alley?"

He visibly flinches and when he doesn't answer, I backtrack quickly. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business, really. It's just that…I'm a police chief's daughter through and through, and I know someone hurt you. So I'm trying to protect us here. You know? Maybe some added security or something."

Edward gets up so fast that I'm still sitting there, mouth agape, when he slams out of the restaurant. "Edward!" I call out to him, causing a scene, but not caring, as I run out of the restaurant. I search for him frantically, looking left and right up each end of the street. I sigh out a huge breath of relief when I see him standing by my car.

The relief fades quickly, replaced by fury. "What the hell is your problem? You just caused a huge scene in there! I don't need someone to recognize me and call paps!" My stomach churns as I let those scenarios form in my mind. If they come here, they're going to take pictures. They'll be _very_ interested in the man who I shared lunch with that isn't my ex-husband. Shit. Just when things were starting to calm down for me.

"Paps? What the fuck are paps?" he spits back at me with just as much anger. Where the hell does _he_ get off getting angry? _I _didn't do anything!

"Paps are paparazzi! What is _wrong_ with you?"

"Why the hell would the paparazzi want to see you?" he shakes his head and points a finger at me. "Your dad is a fucking cop! A goddamn police chief! I…I told you no cops!" He slides down my car, running his hands through the chaos that is his hair before burying his face in his knees. He begins rocking back and forth and even though I can't hear the sobs that wrack his body, I can see them.

I approach him slowly, cautiously, not wanting to alarm him any further. "Edward?" I touch his shoulder and my heart clenches in my chest when I feel him shudder. "Let's get into the car okay? We're causing another scene. I don't want the paps taking pictures of us, okay? I don't want someone to see us together." His head snaps up and a hurt look flashes across his face. "No!" I say quickly. "It has nothing to do with you, trust me." I sigh. We have so much to fucking talk about. This is getting more and more complicated by the minute. "Listen…it's for your protection too. I'm sure whoever gave you those bruises…I'm sure you don't want them to know where you are, right?" He nods. "I'm a recognizable person, Edward. Come on. Please?"

I extend my hand and hold my breath. He's either going to run for the fucking hills or trust me enough to take my hand and get into my car. I breathe a sigh of relief when his hand lands in mine. An electric shock hits me, forming into an almost current as our skin continues to touch.

"Trust me okay?"

He takes a breath and answers, "Okay."

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**A/N: So now we're a little into Bella's head and seeing where her thoughts are at about our Homelessward. Next chapter will be EPOV and…they'll be heading to Bella's! :D **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Thanks for the support. Off to Bella's! :)**

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**EPOV**

After everything that's happened over the past twenty four hours, I'd say I've held myself together pretty well; until ten minutes ago, that is.

Bella had slipped and told me that her father's a cop, a goddamn motherfucking police chief! How the hell did she expect me to react to that? I had done nothing but beg her to not involve authorities. Sure, she doesn't know me and has no reason to trust that I won't hurt her or some shit like that but…she didn't _have_ to help me.

The second I told her I didn't want the police involved, she could've washed her hands of me. She could've walked away, right out of that dirty alley. So why didn't she? Why not just let me sit there and rot? I'm pretty sure if it had been anyone else that drifted into that alley…I'd still be sitting there.

I watch Bella out of the corner of my eye as she drives. Her jaw is tense and her knuckles are bright white from the death grip she has on the steering wheel. I don't know what the hell she's so upset about. I'm the one who should be upset! I'm the one with the right to be pissed, not her.

I ran out of the restaurant so fast when she mentioned her father. All I wanted was to get away from her; away from the lies. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it further than her car. My fucking ribs were aching with the effort of walking so fast, so I knew running was out of the question. Which meant she caught up to me real quick.

I had expected her to apologize, or make up some lie about not really having a police chief for a father. But no. Not Bella Swan. She decides to fucking yell at me. I clench my jaw shut tightly and grip the car door handle tightly to fight back my anger. She started ranting about me causing a scene and about paparazzi. Why the fuck would paparazzi want to take photos of her? Sure she seems to be rich to me, and if her office is any indication – she's really successful. But is she _famous_?

I rack my brain and come up with nothing. Although, it's not like I've been kept up to date with celebrities. I've had much more pressing concerns, _obviously_.

I run a hand down my face when I remember how I had a fucking melt down against her car. I cowered against it like a pussy. It just all became too much. I couldn't handle it. She talked me out of it though, which I have to admit, I'm grateful for. Usually in those situations, I'm sucked back into my past. Memories usually assault me; pouring salt in my still-raw wounds.

I jump at the sound of Bella's voice. I look over and see her staring at me intently. "What?" I ask a little harshly. I take a deep breath. "Sorry. It's just…what's with the staring?"

Her face flushes and she shakes her head, looking away quickly. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare. I just said that we're here." There's a pause. "Um…so…should we go up?"

I realize we're in a parking garage. I shrug. What else am I supposed to do or say to that? It's her show, I'm just along for the ride. "Okay," she says with a sigh. After grabbing her briefcase and purse, we head for the elevator.

As I watch the numbers climb and abruptly come to a stop, I turn toward Bella and smirk. "Not the penthouse Ms. Rich?" I'm hoping to ease some tension here. I really don't want to be fighting with her when it's already awkward enough. Especially when she's opening her home to me.

But she does have some explaining to do…

She lets out a snort. "No. No penthouse, I'm afraid. You'll have to make do with the 30th floor, your highness."

"Bella, I-"

She cuts me off with a dismissive wave. "I know you're joking. I am too. Relax." She rolls her eyes at me before exiting the elevator. I just follow stupidly. When we arrive at the door to her place, she hesitates. Watching the key hover in the air slices right through my heart. She doesn't trust me. _She doesn't have a reason to_, my subconscious berates me.

She turns toward me, and her eyes widen when she looks at me. I inwardly cringe. I probably have a love-sick, hurt expression on my face. Reel it the fuck in, Cullen. "Are you sure?" Bella asks me suddenly. I blink in surprise. She raises an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

"Sure about what?" I ask dumbly.

"Sure about this," she waves a hand in between the two of us. "Are you sure you want to live with me?"

I cock an eyebrow at her. "Am I sure? I think the question should be, are _you_ sure?"

She huffs. "I'm sure. Are _you_?" She bites her lip. It's almost as if she's nervous I'll say no. I don't know what to think of that, so…I don't.

"Yes."

A sweet smile spreads across her face. I can't help but smile back. What _is it_ about this woman? Why do I trust her so implicitly, despite everything? Why can she disarm me so quickly? It's exciting and…terrifying.

"So…this is it," she says as we both step over the threshold of the door and into her apartment. My eyes widen as I take in the sight before me. Exposed brick…everywhere. High ceilings. A huge fireplace in the center of the living room. Looking to the right, I see a small, yet open kitchen with marble countertops and stainless steel appliances. "Um…" Bella interrupts my perusal. "The bedrooms are this way," she tilts her head and I follow her down a small hallway. "This is my room," she steps aside allowing me to peek in. A huge king-sized four poster bed fills the room. The only other things in there are a huge dresser, a night stand, and a big walk-in closet.

"Nice," I say with a nod.

"Thanks. Your new room is over here." She steps across the hall and opens the door adjacent to her own. I look inside and see a queen-sized bed and a dresser. "It's not much. I don't have many house guests for long periods of time, so it's pretty plain." She looks nervous, like I won't like it or something. I almost laugh at her.

"Bella…I don't care how plain it is. Hell, I'd be happy with a sleeping bag on a floor." She blushes and I touch her cheek without thinking. I run my thumb along her heated skin and my breath hitches when she gasps. Does she fucking feel that _current_? It's so powerful sometimes. "Thank you," I murmur. I lean in and brush my lips on her blushed cheeks.

My lips tingle uncontrollably and when I pull back, I feel a serious sense of loss.

Bella's eyes widen and she sputters for a second before telling me to make myself at home and disappearing.

_Shit_. What did I just do? I fucking touched her and kissed her. I invaded her personal space within the first five minutes of being in her damn apartment. She's not going to let me stay. She's going to come back and tell me that this is all too strange and too awkward. I always fuck everything up.

I figure I might as well take a nap while I can. I could seriously use some more sleep. The couch at her office was comfortable, but I haven't been in a bed in over a week, and to be honest, the old bed I had in my room was _not _comfortable. It was a tiny twin bed that had fucking springs poking out of it.

I settle back into the bed, lying down on top of the covers. I take a few deep breaths and try to relax.

"_Mom?" I call out as I run through the front door. It was kind of weird that she wasn't waiting for me at the bus stop. It was only at the end of our block, and I am in second grade now, so maybe she thinks I'm a big kid! She must really think I'm a big boy if she's gonna let me run down the street by myself._

_I freeze in my tracks when I enter the living room. "Mom!" I scream. I try to run toward her to help her…but my feet won't move. I'm not a big kid, I'm a big baby! A man I don't recognize is on top of my Mom and I can't even move to help her. _

_My Mom gasps and pushes the man off her, but she's smiling and her face is all red. Her eyes dart toward the clock and then back to me. "Shit!" she mumbles. "I'm sorry I didn't get you at the stop baby." She stands up and fixes her shirt and hair as she walks toward me. "But what a big little man, running home by yourself! I'm so proud of you." _

_All of the fear evaporates as she wraps her arms around me. I look up at her and smile when she pulls back. "I ran straight home as fast as I could." I look past her and she follows my gaze. She takes my hand and walks me over to the couch. _

"_Edward, this is my friend James."_

_He smiles at me and holds out his hand. "Hello Edward. How are you?"_

"_Hi," I mumble. "I'm okay. What were you doing with my Mom?" I watch as his eyes narrow at me and the fear is right back in a second. My Mom laughs and his eyes snap from mine to hers. A warm smile spreads across his face when he watches her laugh. _

"_We were um…playing a game," my Mom says. "It's a grownup game."_

"_Oh. Did you used to play that game with Daddy?" I never knew my Daddy. Mom said he was a soldier and he got killed when he was trying to save his friend who was also a soldier. She said he died a hero. Sometimes I was real sad that he wasn't around, but I told everyone he was a hero and my friends thought that was really cool._

_James' eyes get that mean look again when he stares at me. But Mom isn't paying attention to his face right now. I wanna tell her he's scaring me but I'm even too scared to do that!_

"_Um, yes honey, I did. Do you have paperwork for me? How was your first day?" She keeps mumbling out questions to me as she makes her way into the kitchen. I'm about to follow her into the kitchen so I can give her all the papers that my teacher said was extra important – and hopefully get a snack! – when James grabs my arm._

"_Ow," I whimper out like a little baby, but it hurts real bad! _

"_Shut the fuck up!" James whisper-yells. My mouth pops open. That's a really bad word! "Listen to me, you little shit! You better not fuck up what I got going on with your mother, you hear me?"_

_I have no idea what he's talking about, but I nod anyway, hoping he'll take his hand off me. "You better not say anything about this either. Got it?" I nod again but James just smiles scarily at me. "Say it. Out loud."_

"_Y-Yes."_

I bolt upright in bed, covered in a thin sheen of sweat. It takes me a few minutes for me to calm the fuck down and realize where I am. I'm at Bella's. I'm safe.

Right?

I hear some banging coming from somewhere, so I decide to get up. There's no way I'm going back to sleep anyway. I glance at the clock on the nightstand and see that it's just after five in the evening.

I walk out of the bedroom cautiously, making my way toward the kitchen. I stop at the end of the hallway and watch Bella fumble around in her small kitchen.

A pot slips out of her hand and she moves her tiny foot out of the way just in time. That would've hurt. I cough to warn her that I'm here, hoping not to startle or scare her. She jumps about a foot in the air when I do and I roll my eyes at myself. So much for that. "Sorry," I mumble as I rub the back of my neck.

Her face heats in a blush and I'm assaulted by the memory of my lips on her soft, warm skin. I barely hold back the groan that wants to escape. I don't even know this woman, but the memory of kissing her damn cheek gets me worked up. I shake my head, trying to rid myself of my perverted thoughts as I make my way toward her.

She just stands there, watching my approach, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Honestly, she looks like she's in the middle of a flight or fight conversations with herself, and I hate it. I probably made her really fucking uncomfortable earlier. I mean, what woman wouldn't be? Some dude you don't know kisses your cheek? Add in this…_interesting_…situation, and yeah. She's probably really uncomfortable. In her own house. That shit just isn't gonna fly. I have to fix this.

"Hey," I say lamely as I sit down on a stool.

"Hi," she says almost shyly as she tucks a lock of hair behind her right ear. The movement makes me glance at her neck, where I can see her blush has spread to. It makes me wonder if her blush spreads any lower. _Those thoughts aren't helping!_ I silently reprimand myself.

"I'm sorry about earlier," I mumble quietly. She raises an eyebrow, so I continue. "Uh, the kiss. I didn't mean to step over any boundaries or make you feel uncomfortable. That was wrong of me."

"Oh!" she says loudly before cringing. "Um. It was okay. I mean…it wasn't okay to do, but I didn't hate it. Well…I think we shouldn't…you know…um, I don't know what I'm talking about," she says looking adorably flustered. "Never mind," she waves it off. She nods her head toward the stove. "I was going to make some spaghetti and meatballs. How does that sound?"

My stomach rumbles loudly, giving an embarrassing answer for me before I can respond. Bella lets out a little giggle and smiles at me. I don't know why, but her smile makes me smile back almost instantly. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Yeah," I say with a nod. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

She thinks it over for a minute before nodding. "You can do the bread. See those seasonings?" I nod. "Spread a bit of butter over the loaf and then sprinkle them over it. Okay?"

"I think I can handle that," I say with a smile, which earns me another laugh from Bella. For some reason, I know I'd do anything to hear that sound. No matter how embarrassing it may be. I mean, she's letting me live with her. It's the least I can do, right?

Shit. What am I going to do to earn my stay here? I _need_ to do something.

I guess I'll just add that to the massively long list of things we have to fucking talk about. We'll talk during dinner. Nothing like procrastination, right?

About a half an hour later, we're sitting down to eat. I can always talk to her after dinner, right? No. I can't keep putting this shit off. "So…" I trail off, unable to find the right place to start our conversation. I feel incredibly awkward. "How long have you been in New York?"

She shrugs. "On and off during college. I'm originally from Washington. I moved here permanently after college though. My husband joined me during my junior year," I start choking on spaghetti, but she doesn't notice and continues. "And then everything blew up with the book, so I stayed."

I'm sputtering and trying to not fucking die when she finally stops talking and notices. "Edward? Edward!" She jumps up from her seat and begins banging on my back. I'm pissed at myself when I realize that I'm enjoying the fact that she's pretty much beating the shit out of my already broken ribs – just because of the fact that she's touching me in any capacity. I have issues, obviously.

When the offending piece of spaghetti flies out of my mouth and onto my plate, I take a few deep breaths and enjoy the fact that Bella still has her hands on me, rubbing soothing circles on my back through my thin t-shirt. I feel almost peaceful, until I remember the word she said that caused me to almost die in the first place. "Husband?" I ask more sharply than I intended. "You're married?" I stand up and step away from her touch, silently telling my body to shut the fuck up as it mourns the absence of her touch. "Why the fuck would you ask me to move in here if you're married?" Everything quickly begins clicking into place. Book. Husband. That's why she didn't want the paparazzi coming here. She's some famous author with a famous husband. I have no idea why I'm so irrationally jealous and fucking angry, but I am. "Fuck this," I mutter as I run back to the guest bedroom to retrieve my shoes.

I scoff as I pull them on. _My_ shoes. More like Emmett's a-size-too-big-for-me shoes.

"Edward!" Bella yells my name again from the hall. I keep my head down when I notice that she's entered the room. I didn't even hear her come in, but it doesn't matter. For some unknown reason I can feel her goddamn presence. "What are you doing? Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving! And I don't know where I'm going!" It's better than saying I have nowhere _to_ go. I don't know why I ever thought I could stay here. It was all too good to be fucking true. I was stupid, _yet again_, to trust someone. Especially a stranger. I let out a humorless laugh. I guess this time it was just my dick ruling my brain. I trusted Bella because she was beautiful, right? I let down my defenses. I shouldn't have.

I stand up, pulling on the hoodie that Emmett gave me. I take a step forward and Bella takes one back. Good. She's afraid of me now. That'll make it easier to leave. I take another step forward and she takes another back toward the door. It breaks my heart every single time she backs away from me, but I keep going; keep telling myself that this is for the best. I need to end whatever the fuck this shit _is_ before it begins.

When she gets to the door, she surprises me. She doesn't back out of it and run, like I expect her to. She stands smack dab in the middle of it and spreads out her arms and legs, effectively using her body to block my only escape. "What are you doing?" I ask through gritted teeth. I wish I could say I'm trying to hold back my anger, but really, I'm just trying to hold myself together.

I remember when my Mom would buy paper plates for me to use after I'd broken so many glass ones. She'd pile my dinner up onto them and they'd never, ever hold it. Eventually they would crumble. That's how I feel right now. Like a thin, pathetic paper fucking plate, holding the damn world and crumbling from the pressure.

"Bella," I choke out. "Move. Please."

"No."

"I'm warning you Bella…"

"Do you think you scare me, Edward? Because you don't. I'm not letting you leave." She crosses her arms over her chest. "You can physically try to make me, but that _would_ hurt me, very much, and I know you don't want to hurt me, Edward."

"Please Bella. Just let me leave. I promise I won't bother you again. I'll be gone before your husband gets home and-"

"I'm not married," she interrupts.

I arch an eyebrow. "You said _husband_ Bella. In order to have a husband, you have to be _married_."

She rolls her eyes. "I'm aware, smartass. I _did_ get married, and I _did_ have a husband, but I _don't_ anymore. I'm divorced. I'm sorry I said it. It just slips out sometimes. Hell, sometimes I even think it in my head and don't even notice. It's very new. I didn't mean to upset you. It seems like every single time I open my mouth I say something wrong and I hurt you." She's quiet for a minute, but I say nothing. She looks like she's trying to work something out in her head, and I don't want to be rude and interrupt that. Her lip begins trembling, but she starts talking before I can ask what's wrong.

"You know what, Edward? Maybe you should leave. I thought I could help you…somehow. But I can't. All I'm doing is hurting you. Look at you," she looks me over as a tear runs down her cheek. "You've been hurt enough. I don't want my name added to that list."

I'm about to speak but she cuts me off. "I'll give you some money, okay? Enough to get on your feet. I still want to help you. That's all I ever wanted to do. I don't want to cause you more pain." She gives me a small, sad smile before walking out of the room.

I take a few steps back and plop my lifeless body onto the mattress beneath me. The only thought that keeps repeating in my head is: _she's not married_. I don't know why that matters, but apparently it does. I bite my lip as I think. Each time Bella has tried talking to me, I've flipped out, caused a scene, and run away. I can't do that shit anymore. I have to man up and stick around. I can't keep running like a scared little kid. I'm _not_ that scared little kid anymore.

I walk tentatively into the living room and sit down on the opposite side of the couch. Bella's head is down, but her tiny shoulders are moving slightly, providing proof of her silent tears. I feel like the biggest asshole ever. I want to comfort her, but I don't know how; especially after the whole cheek fiasco.

"Bella?" I murmur her name quietly, but her head snaps up the second I do, almost as if I screamed it instead. "I'm sorry." I move a little closer. She seems okay with my new position, so I move closer again. "Really sorry." I keep moving further down the couch until our thighs are touching. "Can I…can I hug you?" Her eyes widen in surprise, and I'm sure mine do too. I'm just as surprised as she is by the words that came out of my mouth. She nods her consent and I immediately wrap my arms around her tiny frame. I can't remember the last time I've willingly wanted to touch someone, yet here I am, doing it for the second time in one day.

I rest my cheek on her soft hair and inhale deeply. She smells so good. Like…vanilla or cookies…and something…flowery. It's the best thing I've ever smelled.

"Will you stay?" she whispers, looking up at me with teary eyes. I nod, holding her to me tighter. She pushes me back slightly, and before I know what's happening – we're laying on her couch together. We get more comfortable, all without breaking our hug. I drift off to sleep not long after Bella.

-o-

RING. RING. RING.

I close my eyes tighter and snuggle into my pillow. So soft and warm. I scrunch my eyes together when my pillow snuggles back. My pillow snuggles back? My eyes snap open and I'm about to have a fucking panic attack, until I realize that my pillow is Bella. I smile down at her sleeping face. She looks so peaceful and beautiful.

RING. RING. RING.

"What the fuck?" I mutter. "Bella," I whisper in her ear and nudge her.

"Mmm," she moans out. "Edward."

My entire body freezes as desire runs through me. Did she just…she just moaned my name.

RING. RING. RING.

"Bella!" someone bellows.

Bella's eyes snap open and she just stares up at me for at least a full thirty seconds, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"I'm using my key!" the deep voice booms.

"Shit!" Bella yells as she tries to disengage our bodies.

"What the fuck is this?" the same voice shouts.

I look over my shoulder and see a man, almost as big as Emmett, with a fucking ponytail. Who is this tool?

"Who the fuck are you?" I ask.

"I'm her _husband_. Who the fuck are you?"

I'm really starting to despise that word.

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**A/N: What do ya think? **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**

**A/N: My heart goes out to every single family that was affected by the tragedy of the Boston Marathon. I love my hometown with my whole heart. #BOSTON STRONG**

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**BPOV**

I gape at Jake before turning back to see a bewildered and…angry looking Edward. I take a minute to look back and forth repeatedly between my ex-husband and my…formerly homeless, always hot, and currently snuggled up to me, new roommate. Jesus Christ, could this get any more complicated and awkward?

Yes it can. Because that's when Edward says, "Who the fuck are you?"

And then Jake opens his fat mouth…

"I'm her husband. Who the fuck are you?"

Edward glares at Jake and opens his mouth to speak, but stops when I squeeze his arm. His eyes snap to mine and I shake my head once before standing up and facing Jake. I cross my arms over my chest and set my full glare on him. Jake copies my stance and glares back at me, clearly trying to intimidate me. Unfortunately for him, it doesn't work anymore. "Let's get one thing perfectly fucking clear, Jacob. You are _not_ my husband. You are my _ex_-husband."

Jake laughs and shakes his head. "Fine. I'm your _ex_-husband. Now that it's clear who I am, who the fuck is this?" he jerks his chin at Edward.

Edward gets up and stands behind me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder in silent support. Jake's eyes zero in on Edward's hand and I smile internally. "Who Edward is, is no concern of yours Jacob."

"Are you fucking him?" Jake sneers as he takes a few steps toward us.

"I wouldn't come any closer," Edward says. His voice is low and quiet, but it's very menacing; menacing enough to make Jake stop in his tracks.

"What I do with Edward is none of your business either, Jake. This is also no longer _your_ apartment. You can either give me that key right now, or I'm going to have the locks changed. You can also leave right this minute, or deal with security and then with the police."

He scoffs and takes another step toward us.

"Last warning," Edward says. "Bella asked you to leave. I think you should listen before you get hurt."

"Is that a threat?"

Edward laughs, but there's no humor in the sound. It sends chills up my spine, but I'm not afraid of him. I feel…excited? Oh, _that's fucked up_. "It's not a threat," Edward assures him as he moves his hand down my back, until it's resting on my hip, effectively wrapping his arm around me. "Like I said, it's a warning." I look up at his face and see him smiling sweetly at Jake.

"Bella…" Jake looks at me. "We need to talk. I know the divorce was finalized, but there are things we still need to discuss and-"

"No there isn't," I cut him off. "The divorce, like you said, _is_ finalized. We're through and there's nothing left to discuss. Now, please leave. And make sure you drop the key on the table on your way out." I turn around to face Edward, essentially dismissing Jake. I breathe out a sigh of relief when I hear his retreating footsteps, followed by the slamming of my front door.

I look up at Edward when he wraps both of his arms around me, pulling me into a comforting hug. "Are you okay?" he whispers against my hair.

I realize, with my close proximity to his body, that he's shaking. "Are _you_ okay?"

He tenses for a second before nodding. "I'm fine." He sighs. "I don't want you to think I'm some pussy or anything…" he trails off. I'm about to tell him that I think no such thing, when he continues. "I'm not afraid of that fuckbag. I'm just…I have a past that's filled with…things…that can upset me sometimes. He doesn't scare me, and I _am_ fine now. I was just upset that he was causing you distress."

"Oh," I say stupidly, not really knowing what else to say.

Edward chuckles and without saying a word, walks away from me. I'm immediately overwhelmed by the irrational fear that he's leaving. But when I hear the lock click in place, and see his smiling face walking back toward me, I relax. He takes my hand in his and pulls me back toward the couch. He plops down and pats the spot next to him. I smile and join him. "That was…interesting." He arches an eyebrow at me and I shrug. "Care to explain?"

"Well…that, was my ex-husband, Jake."

Edward huffs and rolls his eyes. "I think I managed to figure that part out, but thanks."

"Smart ass," I mutter. "Well…I'm guessing someone saw me at Five Guys with you…and he decided to just show up here. You see, Jake thinks he owns me and can do whatever the fuck he pleases; which is a big reason why he's currently my ex-husband."

"I see," Edward says with a nod of his head. "Do you think you should probably…I don't know…change the locks or something? Is he dangerous? Has he ever hurt you?" He looks very anxious as he awaits my answer.

I shake my head. "No. Not physically anyway," I whisper quietly in the darkness of the living room. I randomly wonder what time it is, but when Edward moves even closer to me on the couch, I completely forget every thought that doesn't involve his thigh currently touching mine.

"How, then?" he whispers back. It doesn't escape my notice that his fingertips are trailing up and down my forearm. In fact, the simple and innocent touch is sending a burning sensation along my skin. "Um…emotionally," I answer shakily. I swallow and shake my head, trying to clear it.

"What did he do?"

I turn slightly, so I'm facing him. His eyes are so full of concern and comfort that it nearly takes my breath away. I roll my eyes at myself and take a deep breath. I sound like some cheesy harlequin novel or something. What the fuck is this guy doing to me? Guy…he's more like a kid, really. Is he seriously only nineteen? Looking into his eyes right now…he seems so much older. Maybe it's everything he's been through. Yes, he's been homeless – for how long, I don't know; but it's even more than that. Someone has hurt him.

I decide to tell Edward the truth, because I know I can trust him. I know I can tell him the dirtiest of my secrets and his eyes will never hold any judgment. I know I can tell him what happened with Jake, and his eyes will never cast pity upon me. But mostly…mostly, I want to tell him because I want him to trust me. I want him to open up to me and tell me what's happened to him…who has hurt him.

Because if his behavior so far is any indication…someone has hurt Edward badly. So, _so_ badly.

"Jake and I were best friends growing up…we did everything together because our dads were best friends. Eventually we fell into a relationship and it wasn't very serious…not until my dad died." Edward runs his fingers up my arm and into my hair, nestling his fingers deep into my locks. It's such an intimate gesture. I know I should tell him to stop or, I should at least want him to stop…but I don't. So I just let him continue to comfort me. "When I decided to stay here after graduation, Jake joined me."

He nods, silently telling me to continue. "One day I was a lowly employee at a publishing company, and the next I was this famous author with deals being thrown my way and millions of dollars filling my bank account." I blow out a breath and shake my head. "It was all so surreal. Jake was a mechanic at a really prestigious shop and then I helped him build his own shop. He's a pretty big deal in the car world."

"I've never heard of him," Edward smirks, making me giggle.

"Well…almost everyone has. He was very humble about it at first – until he got a few celebrity clients. That's when his head got huge, right along with his ego. He thought he was too good for everyone – even me. He started cheating on me. I think on a basic level I knew what he was doing, or at least that something was going on. I kept lying to myself, telling myself that everything was fine. Eventually I couldn't handle it anymore." I laugh humorlessly. "I guess that's what happens when you find him in your bed with your assistant." Edward's mouth pops open and I have to let out a giggle.

"That's funny?" he asks.

"Yes. Well…no. At least not at first. It hurt. It hurt a fucking lot. Jake has always been my best friend…my rock. I didn't just lose my husband that day. I lost my best friend and gained a lot of fucked up issues. But…" I take a deep breath, because I'm about to tell Edward something I've never told anyone; not even Rosalie.

"But what?" he asks me quietly.

I notice for the first time how close he's gotten as I was rambling. He's rearranged his body. His entire body is facing mine, and he's sitting cross legged. One of his hands is resting against his knee, playing with a small hole in the pair of jeans he's wearing. His other hand is blessedly still buried in my hair; his fingernails continue to scrape against my scalp, making me want to purr like a content cat.

When I'm finally able to find my voice, I speak hoarsely. "But all that…all of that wasn't even the worst part."

"What was the worst part?" he whispers directly into my ear. I shiver as his warm, sweet breath washes against my flesh. "Tell me, Bella. You can trust me."

"I know," I whisper.

"So tell me, love."

My head turns quickly, and my eyes snap to his. Does he realize what he just called me? His eyes are slightly wide; he looks a little alarmed. I'm not sure if it's because he realized what he called me, or because of my sudden movement. My eyes flick down to his mouth when he slowly licks his lips.

I grab a piece of the couch, gripping it tightly in my fist, trying my hardest not to launch myself at him and attack his lips. I know how soft and warm they are, I felt them against my skin. It was torturous; to feel that much, from so little…yet it wasn't enough – not even close.

I let my eyes travel slowly back up his handsome face, allowing my brain to memorize every alarmingly beautiful feature. His strong, sculpted jaw; a jaw that in no way resembles his age. There's no baby fat, no sign of youth. The stubble that rests along it intrigues me on a weirdly intense level. I smile internally when I notice a very tiny bump along the bridge of his nose. I wonder if he broke it at some point in his life; or if he was just born with that slightly imperfect perfection. I stop at his emerald green eyes, letting myself sink into their depths, enjoying a few blissful seconds of utter peace.

When Edward coughs and arches an eyebrow, I silently curse myself for yet again letting my inner harlequin romance writer take over my brain. I can't curse myself much though, because it's all so true. Edward is just so…

Edward's voice interrupts my thoughts. "Bella? Tell me."

Right. _Think_.

"The worst part of it all…is that I realized that I…" I take a final deep breath before spitting out my secret. "I was never in love with him."

Edward's eyes widen.

I don't know what I expect him to say. I don't know what I would say if I were in his shoes. But in all of the scenarios I could have ever imagined…I would have never imagined correctly to match the reality. Because the reality? Edward launches himself at me.

Before I even realize what's happening, I'm on my back, with Edward on top of me. My legs spread, almost on their own accord, right before he settles in between them. My arms instinctually wrap around his neck as my feet run along the backs of his thighs before locking against his calves, effectively caging him in and holding him against me. "Bella…" his voice is strained as his eyes roam my face. I don't know what he's looking for, but he must find it, because seconds later…

Edward's lips press against mine.

If I thought his lips against my cheek had been heaven…his lips against my lips are…pure hell.

It's hell in the most devilishly, sinful way.

Edward's wet tongue peeks out, sliding along my bottom lip and making me groan out loud. I open my mouth to him easily, wanting nothing more than to feel his tongue slide against mine. When he slides his tongue inside my mouth, his delicious taste makes me moan into the kiss. Our tongues clash against each other in sloppy, deep kisses as our hands roam each other's bodies. My conscience is screaming at me from the back of my mind. Unfortunately for her, my pussy is telling her to shut the fuck up. I'm siding with the South in this war. I think Edward is too…seeing as how the South is rising for him, if ya know what I mean.

"Edward…" I moan out, saying his name like a plea. "More," I beg.

Obviously, my brain has left the building. Edward doesn't hesitate, he gives me exactly what I want. My back arches up off of the couch when he grinds his hardening dick against my covered pussy. Suddenly, I think we're wearing _way too much_ clothing. I slide my hands down Edward's back until I have the hem of his t-shirt in my shaking fingers. I slowly slide it back up as he watches me intently. When I reach his shoulders, he helps me and pulls it off, tossing it backward.

I don't break eye contact, so I'm surprised when I see fear lurking there, in his eyes. His cheeks tinge pink slightly, and just as I'm about to ask what's wrong, Edward opens his mouth to speak. I really want to shove my fingers into my ears and scream "La, la, la! I can't hear you!" for fear that the words that are going to come out of his mouth are going to be along the lines of "I think we should stop."

He shocks me yet again when he says, "I'm sorry for the scars. I know they're not sexy or…even tolerable to look at. I should probably put my shirt back on." He gets up quickly and reaches for his shirt. I gasp when the dim light touches his skin. There are scars all along his back; some look suspiciously like cigarette burns. Edward's shoulders heave as he sighs. "Like I said, I'll put my shirt back on."

He turns around and gives me a small, sad smile, and I have to hold back the second gasp, while simultaneously fighting off tears. All along Edward's beautiful chest are three more scars; four to five inch welts. I don't even want to imagine what could have created them. Some of his scars are old, but there are knew bruises as well; which I can only assume were the result of whatever went down in that alley. "Don't cover up," I hear myself say. It feels like I'm not even here, like I'm watching a scene from a horror movie or something. "Come here." I tug on his hand until he abandons his t-shirt and resumes his position, lying gingerly on top of me. "Who did all of this to you?"

His eyes scrunch together tightly and he shakes his head. "I…I want to tell you," he says quietly. "I've never wanted to tell anyone before." He opens his eyes and searches my face. "Why do I want to tell you?" I don't think he actually expects an answer, so I remain quiet. "You are so…different. I don't understand any of this Bella. Not at all." He shakes his head. "But I want to understand. I want this…whatever it is. I want you. I don't remember the last time I truly wanted something as badly as I want you."

His lips quirk into a small smile as they descend toward mine. Finally, they're back where they belong, pressed against my own. Edward kisses me slowly and gently, somehow making me feel like a precious, prized possession. The fingers of one hand run along my stomach, slipping underneath my shirt. I nod when he stops, silently asking for permission to venture further. When his fingers connect with my painfully hard nipples, I let out a whore-like moan. "Oh my God, Edward," I groan. "Fuck," I hiss when he pinches one nipple through the thin material of my bra.

Before I realize what I'm doing, I'm sitting up, slightly pushing Edward off of me, and ripping my shirt from my body. I reach behind me and unhook my bra, tossing it somewhere in the vicinity of our shirts before lying back down. Edward stares down at me with wide eyes as he licks his lips. Suddenly, his previous words hit me – when he asked if I wanted him to be my sex slave. I cringe at the thought.

"Do you…do you want to do this? You don't have to. This isn't like…payment or something like that. _Oh, God_. What am I doing? I'm not taking advantage of you like this…" I try to push him off of me, but Edward doesn't budge.

His eyes narrow. "I want this. I want you. I know you're not using me, Bella. I know what I'm getting myself into." He pauses for a beat before arching an eyebrow and asking, "Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Want this? Want me? Know what you're getting yourself into?"

"Yes," I answer immediately, even though I _don't_ know what the hell this is between us. I say yes even though I don't know if this is a good idea. And I say yes because I know without a doubt that none of that matters, because above all else, as crazy as it fucking seems – I want Edward. And for the first time in my life, I'm going to do what I want, because I want to do it. From now on, I'm doing things for myself. I should've started doing that years ago, but like they say – better late than never.

* * *

**A/N: Whoo! See ya old Bella. New Bella is about to get sooo laaaaid! Or at least we hope so, am I right? Lmao. Reviewers get virtual hugs and also get a sneak peek of chapter 7 (that's already been written and may contain lemoney goodness). Love you guys. xo**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Hello! Sorry for the delay. RL can kick your ass sometimes, and it certainly kicked mine!**

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**EPOV**

Even though Bella answers my rapid-fire questions with a quick, yet sincere yes, I decide we need to slow down. Her quick judgment – that I was thinking she'd want me to be her sex slave – being a major reason; with a minor reason being…I'm just not ready yet. I know it might sound immature, and maybe like it should be coming from Bella and not me, but fuck; it's just the honest truth.

I don't want this to be a "wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am" kinda thing. I don't want us to wake up and regret it all. I don't want things to be awkward. I have no fucking idea why, but I have some seriously intense feelings for this girl; no, not girl – I have seriously intense feelings for this _woman_. And if I'm being honest, it kinda scares the shit outta me…just a little bit.

_Is this because she's helping you out_? my subconscious questions me.

No.

This is all just because of Bella and the amazing woman she is.

_I think this is all too fast. Your feelings are tied to the fact that you desperately need her. You've known the woman for a fuckin' day!_

I completely ignore the jab from my subconscious and look down at Bella. I need to hold back the groan that wants to escape, because _goddamn_ she looks fucking great; half-naked and flushed beneath me. "Bella," I whisper her name softly. Her eyes find mine and she smiles at me and I can't help but return it. Her smile falls with my next words, though. "I think we need to stop."

"Are you…do you not want this now?" she mumbles out. "I get it. We can just be friends. It's okay. It won't be awkward, and it's not like I'll force you to leave or anything like that." Bella lets out a laugh but it's forced and awkward.

"Bella…"

"No, its fine, Edward. Really." Her eyes betray her words because she won't even look at me. She gives me a gentle push until I get the clue and sit up. She quickly finds her shirt and throws it on, not bothering with her bra.

"Bella!" I say her name loud enough for her to actually make eye contact with me. "Listen to me." I grab her face in my hands and kiss her soundly. It wasn't what I intended but, _fuck_, her lips are just, so…lickable and kissable. I place my forehead gently against hers and just breathe in her scent for a minute while I collect my thoughts.

"What am I supposed to be listening to?" she asks after a couple of minutes have passed. I can't help it, I let out a chuckle. When I open my eyes, I see that she's smirking at me. "Well?"

"I _do_ want this. I just think we're going a little fast." Fuck. I can feel how hot my cheeks are, which means I'm blushing like a virgin.

"Oh," she breathes out, relief clear in her voice. "Actually…I think you're right."

"Really?"

She lets out a cute snort. "Don't sound so surprised Edward. It's not like I'm some wicked old woman trying to steal your virtue."

Now it's my turn to laugh. "There isn't any virtue left to steal."

"I'll just have to steal your heart then," she says playfully.

Instead of saying what I really want to say, I snort. "And you're not old. You're beautiful."

Bella blushes and stutters out a thank you.

"So…" she trails off.

"So…" I mimic, smirking at her.

"I think we should get some sleep. It's almost midnight and we've had a very…stressful day today."

"Oh." I try to keep the disappointment out of my voice. I mean, I am tired. I only took short naps throughout the day today…and all of them were interrupted, with the most recent interruption being her asshole ex.

"I don't really wanna sleep alone tonight…" she says with a blush. "Would it be okay if we just left off where we were earlier? You know, before we were so rudely interrupted." Her face breaks out into a gorgeous little grin, making me wonder how that simple act fills me with such happiness.

"Sounds good to me."

I lay down against the back of the couch and smile as Bella lays down beside me, scooting her tight little body closer to my own. I reach up and pull the sham down over us as she snuggles into me.

"Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella."

-o-

"Hello? Oh! Hey Rose."

Bella's voice floods my sleepy thoughts.

"What? No." I sit up and see Bella walking toward the kitchen. I rub my eyes and stand up from the couch, following behind her sleepily and trying not to watch her ass sway as she walks. I fail. "I gave him my work number in case he needed to reach me. That's all he needs. No! You are not allowed to give him my home or cell number, no matter what, Rosalie Hale!" My eyebrows knit together in confusion. "That's none of your business. No! Edward doesn't have anything to do with it. I'm not giving James my number because-"

_Thud_.

"Edward! Edward are you okay?" I open my eyes and see that Bella is at my side, kneeling on the kitchen floor.

"Why are you on the floor, Bella?" I ask her, feeling confused.

"He's awake, Rose. Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Cancel everything for today. Thanks." She tosses her phone onto the counter above us and runs her fingers through my hair. "You fainted, Edward. Are you okay? Do you want to try and sit up?"

I nod and when I'm sitting up, I run my own hand through my hair. "I fainted?" Bella nods. "Why?"

She rolls her eyes at me. "Like I'd know that?" She's smiling so I know she's not really upset. "I don't know, Edward. It was weird. I was arguing with Rose about James and all of a sudden you-"

I flinch and push myself backward when she says _that_ name again. Bella notices and a look of confusion covers her face. "Edward? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lie quickly. "Can I take a shower?"

I can tell that she doesn't believe me, but she lets it go, thankfully. "Sure. If you need anything, let me know, okay?" I nod. "I canceled all of my work-related things for today. I thought we could go out and shop, you know? Get you some essentials and things like that."

"Okay," I murmur as I stand. "I'm sorry for scaring you, Bella." It's true, I am. And if I wasn't on the verge of having a nervous breakdown in front of her, I'd try to comfort her and reassure her.

"Don't worry about it. As long as you're okay…"

"I am. I…I am." I was about to promise, but I know it'll be a lie, and I never want to break a promise to Bella.

"If you're sure…"

I give her a small smile and a peck on the lips before I all but run from the room.

When I'm in the safety of the steam-filled shower, enjoying the hot water pounding down all around me, I let go. I let the silent sobs wrack through my body. God. Just the sound of that fucking name turns me into a weeping mess.

"_What did I tell you, boy?" he asks with a sinister smile. I don't answer and his smile turns almost…genuine. "Good job, Edward. You didn't answer because I haven't allowed you to speak yet…you're actually listening." He removes his belt and I panic. _

"_No! No! I did the right thing! I've been listening and doing really good! Don't hit me."_

"_You're right. You did do the right thing and you did listen…until now."_

_My eyes widen in realization. "You were testing me."_

"_I was. And you failed." _

_The first sting of his belt across my back makes me cry out, but when his next hit is even harder I learn quickly to shut my mouth. I grit my teeth and try my hardest not to cry out again, knowing it will only make him angry, which will make him hit me harder. I look at the clock on the wall, wishing my mom would come home from work early, just this once. _

_Tonight is the night that I'm going to tell her. I'm going to tell her that James uses me as his own personal punching bag any time we're alone. She has to know, though, right? She can't actually believe that the black eye he gave me last week was from the result of a fight in school. I've never gotten into a fight in school! _

_Who am I kidding? She hasn't noticed in the last year, which means she'll never notice. And the worst part of it all? My mom loves this man…this monster that hurts me. My friend Aden thinks James is so cool. The other day he asked me if I was excited about him being my new dad. _

_I cry out at just the thought of my mom marrying James. If she did…he would be here all of the time. I would get hurt all the time. What if he got tired of hurting me and started hurting my mom?_

_James' next hit with the belt makes me sob uncontrollably. _

"_You're going to learn Edward," he says sadly. "One of these days…you're going to learn all of my rules and I won't have to hurt you anymore."_

_I know he's lying. I know there's nothing I could do to make him stop hurting me. So I continue to cry, letting all of the anguish leave me in liquid form. I won't stay quiet, because I know he'll hurt me either way. That's what monsters do. _

**BPOV**

I try to focus on cleaning up the mess from last night so my mind doesn't wander to what the hell just happened. When I'm done with the dirty dishes, I clean the table off. After that, there isn't much more to do, so my mind…wanders. What the hell was that?

One second I'm on the phone with Rose and the next, Edward's crumbling to the floor in a mess of nerves and terror. I look toward the hallway were Edward nearly sprinted and wonder, for the fiftieth time, if I should go and check on him. When I hear a loud thud coming from the bathroom, I run almost as fast as Edward did toward it.

I knock on the door a couple of times, but when the only response I receive is muffled cries, I push it open and enter slowly. "Edward?" I call out softly, not wanting to scare him. "Are you okay?"

Without thinking, I begin stripping my clothes off. When I'm completely naked, I quietly step into the steamy shower. I choke on a sob when I see a cornered Edward, clutching himself tightly in the fetal position. "Edward…" I kneel down, not sure what to say. The rough tile digging into my knees sparks something in my brain and I finally do something; I reach out and run my hand along his back, tracing the scars there. I have no idea what to say, so I don't say anything.

Eventually, Edward loosens up and pulls himself up into a sitting position. His bright green eyes seem darker behind his puffy lids as they gaze into my own. We both just sit there, for what feels like hours, staring at each other silently. When his eyes eventually drift and rake over every inch of my skin, my entire body flushes. The path his eyes take seems to ignite something; awakening the lust from last night all over again. When his hand reaches out, I expect him to grab me and kiss me forcefully, but he doesn't.

Instead, Edward runs his thumb along my jawline and lightly traces over my lips. "Don't cry," he murmurs and I blink at him in surprise. I hadn't even realized I was crying. Oddly enough, seconds later, Edward is consoling me. He wraps his arms protectively around me and pulls me against him. Somehow it's not close enough, so I make my way onto his lap, burrowing myself into him and letting him comfort me.

We sit there for a while, soothing each other merely with the other's presence, basking in sanctity that the hot water and silence provides. "My step-father did this to me," Edward suddenly says, breaking the haze-like atmosphere and my heart with that one sentence. "He's the one who hurt me. His name was James."

I close my eyes as it all clicks. That's why he flipped out and fainted. That's why he ran away from me. That's why he broke down right here, where we're sitting. "I'm so sorry," I choke out. I take a few deep breaths before I try speaking again, because this isn't about me. It's about Edward. This is _his_ pain that he needs to feel and work through. "What happened to him? Did he get arrested? I hope he's rotting in jail somewhere, paying for what he did to you." I pull back and look at his face, placing a hand on his cheek.

He closes his eyes and nods. "I think he's dead."

My brow furrows. "What do you mean you _think_ he's dead?" How would he not know, one way or another? He just shrugs, not really answering my question. "Edward?" I prod as I run my hand from his face into his hair.

"I beat him…" he visibly swallows. "Badly." He makes eye contact with me and I don't fucking dare break it. "I think I might have killed him."

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**A/N: Well…that's one way to confess, Edward. Who else wants to cuddle with Edward in a steamy shower? Review if you do. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Hi! I'm only a day late, lol! Thank you to everyone who continues to review and show me lots o' love. It means the world to me. ;)**

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**EPOV**

Bella's eyes widen slightly, but she doesn't say anything.

Hell, she doesn't even blink. She just stares…and stares. "Bella?"

There's a blink.

That's a start, I guess.

"We need to hurry up!" Bella shouts suddenly.

"Huh?" I ask, feeling almost as confused as I probably look. She jumps up, nearly slipping on the wet tile. "Bella, what are you doing?" I grab her arm and she flinches at the contact, making me drop it immediately. "Sorry. I'm sorry," I stutter out. I don't say anything else when she nearly runs out of the shower, and then the bathroom completely. I don't even think she got a damn towel first.

As I let the hot water run over my face, it all finally clicks.

_Of fucking course_ she just ran out of here like her ass was on fire! I just told her that it's highly fucking likely that I killed my step-father. What girl is going to stick around, _naked_, in a shower, with a potential murderer?

When I exit the bathroom, I walk slowly out into the living room. I don't find Bella there, so I walk back down the hall and knock on her bedroom door. "Bella?" I hear sniffles coming from behind the door. _Damn it_. "Bella?" I try again. When she still doesn't respond, I open her door slowly.

Half of me is saying this is wrong; that I shouldn't be going into her room uninvited. The other half of me is saying that she walked in one my sob-fest, when I was in the middle of a breakdown, naked in the damn shower. The second half of me wins, even though the first half is droning on about how it's all her house anyway. I ignore that half and step into the dimly lit room, filtered only by the early morning light.

I spot Bella immediately, wrapped in a bathrobe, sitting in the middle of her bed. Her arms are wrapped around her knees, which are tucked under her chin. Her face is buried in her knees as her shoulders shake with silent tears. "Bella?"

Her head snaps up, her red-rimmed eyes staring up at me as I slowly approach her. I hold my hands up in the signature sign of surrender, trying to let her know that I won't hurt her. "I just wanted to see if you were okay." _She obviously isn't, asshole_. "I'm going to leave, okay?" When she doesn't respond at all, I continue. "This isn't me running away or anything. I just…I know you're upset, and probably afraid of me…so…I'm going to go. Just…please don't call the cops," I beg as my voice cracks. "I'm not sure what happened to him and I can't let him find me." My body starts shaking involuntarily. I clench my fists together at my sides to try and calm myself. "I promise I'll never bother you again. I just…I can't…he can't find me…"

I drop to my knees at the side of her bed, covering my face in shame as the hot traitorous tears roll down my cheeks. I'm so sick of fucking crying over this bastard! He's controlled my entire life, for as long as I can remember, through mere fucking memories. He must be dead. It's like his ghost is haunting me.

"I won't tell anyone, Edward," Bella says quietly. I look up and scrub my hands down my face, nodding in thanks as I stand up and adjust my towel. I'm about to tell her that I'm going to get dressed and leave, but she interrupts me. "And you're not going anywhere."

"What?" I ask in shock.

Bella stands up and takes a few steps toward me, tightening her bathrobe. "You're not leaving. I'm not afraid of _you_. That's not why I ran out and it's not why I'm crying."

"Then…then why?"

"Because I can't believe anyone could do that to you." I scrunch my face up in confusion and Bella shakes her head. "You don't see yourself clearly, at all, Edward. You are such a nice, sweet, and caring man. I've known you less than forty-eight hours and I already know all of those things. That man…_that monster_…he's the bad guy here, not you."

"But…"

"No," she says firmly, shaking her head. "I don't know everything that's happened in your life, but I know two things. He's the one who gave you all of those scars, right?" I nod. "And he's the reason you were living on the streets, right?" I hesitate…but nod again, because it's true. "I'm going to tell you something else I know," she says, her firm still tone, but also gentle somehow. "If he's alive, we're going to make him pay."

-o-

**BPOV**

"So…let me get this straight." I roll my eyes, but thankfully Rose is across town at the office. "You want me to use my connections to get some information on this random guy, for reasons you can't tell me, and none of this can trace back to any of us. Does that sound about right?"

"Yep."

"And you're not going to tell me what happened this morning with Edward?"

"Nope."

She sighs heavily and I can practically see the dirty look she wants to give me. "Fine. I'll call you when I have something. Are you going to be in the office tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure yet. The only big thing we had was that meeting yesterday, right?"

"Yeah, but you need to come in and sign some stuff at some point this week. Plus we need to go over the candidates for the new hire."

"Okay. I'll let you know. As of right now, I'm not coming in tomorrow. I'm going to help Edward settle in and I need to get him some essentials. I'll come in Thursday or Friday, for sure."

"Okay, Boss. Be careful and I love you."

"I will. Love you, too."

I really do. She's probably the only person in existence who would help me like that, no questions asked and no strings attached.

"Hey."

I nearly jump out of my skin at the sound of Edward's voice. "Hi," I breathe out, trying to slow the rate of my heart. "What's up?" I jump up onto the countertop and watch as he shrugs and walks toward me.

Watching Edward walk is like watching a porno, I swear. Only wearing the jeans that Emmett gave him, which are slightly too big, and currently hanging low on his hips, Edward looks like…walking sex. I let my eyes roam from his lightly scruffy face, to his lightly scruffy happy trail, all while enjoying the yummy defined muscles in between.

Edward extends a hand and I take it easily when it's in reach, nearly drooling with the need to touch any part of him. We intertwine our fingers together as he steps in between my spread legs. I try to control my thoughts, not allowing myself to think of the many ways that I could have him in this position. We stay there like that, for a minute or so, neither of us saying anything, when Edward finally breaks the silence. "So…what's on the agenda for today?" His tone is teasing, but his eyes show his anxiety and stress.

I know that he's worried about my plan to deal with the fucktard who did all of that disgusting shit to him, but I don't know how to ease his worry. I'm worried myself, but I know this is something that needs to be done.

"We're going shopping!" I say happily, hoping to distract him.

He rolls his eyes, but his smile becomes bigger and more genuine. "Oh yeah? What are we shopping for?"

"You!"

His smile falls and he shakes his head. "I don't have any money Bella, you know that, and I don't want to take things from you…it isn't right. You're doing enough for me already."

I grab his face in my hands and squish his cheeks together. "Listen to me, Edward-" I'm about to chastise him playfully, giving him the whole "full name" scolding, when I realize that I don't even know his full name. "Edward…what's your last name?"

"I…" he hesitates. "My real last name…my mother's maiden name…is…_was_…Masen."

The joy of him opening up and actually telling me his real last name dies on my lips when I realize what he just said. "Was?" I swallow hard. "What happened to your Mom?"

He shakes his head, his jaw tight, and I know right now is another time to not push him. He's opened up a _ton_ today, so early into our…relationship, or whatever this is. I'm not going to be greedy. "It's okay Edward. You don't have to tell me right now."

He gives me a grateful look. "Thank you. You know that I want to, right?" I nod. "The last name I've been using is Cullen. It's the one that's on my state ID. Well…it was on my fake state ID. I don't have that anymore, though."

"Why Cullen?"

"There was this doctor…his name was Carlisle. Weird name, right?" he lets out a small laugh when I make a face. "Yeah, weird name, but he was the nicest man I've ever met. He told me I could go to him whenever I needed to. I think he knew what was going on, you know?"

I nod. "When did you meet him?"

"One time, James broke my leg. My mom rushed me to the hospital when he was at work one day, even though he told her not to. Anyway, she still had a shiner, compliments of his anger the night before, and Dr. Cullen saw that; he saw her black eye and my broken leg. He was a smart man, it didn't take him long to figure it out. So, he told my mom that she could tell him what really happened, that we would be safe. But…my mom was too afraid. When we were leaving he whispered that I could go to him whenever I needed help and he gave me his card."

"Why didn't you?" I whisper the question and his jaw tightens again. I'm about to tell him that we can drop the subject but he speaks up.

"I tried," his voice cracks when he answers me. He grips both of my hands tightly, running his thumbs along mine. "I went back to the hospital the night that it all…fell apart. I asked for Dr. Cullen, but he was gone. He'd moved or something…went to a new hospital. I lost his fucking card. I had no way to contact him and I was so scared…so I just ran away."

A million jumbled thoughts are swirling around in my head. "Will you tell me everything? The entire story, from start to finish, one day?"

He stares at me and licks his lips, thinking hard. "Yeah, one day. You'll be the first and only person I tell."

"Okay," I say with a smile and a kiss. I want to change the subject. "So…shopping?"

He groans. "Bella…"

"I want to help you."

"I have nothing to give you in return. I have no way to pay you back."

"I'm going to get you a job. You'll work for me in some capacity. I just have to figure it all out. Okay? We're going into the office Thursday. Let's just enjoy today, okay? Let me dress you up." I give him a bright smile, hoping it works.

When he grins back at me and rolls his eyes again, I know it worked. "Fine."

-o-

**EPOV**

"Bella!" I yell to her. Jesus Christ she walks fast when she's in a mall. She's about twenty feet ahead of me, not slowing down whatsoever. I groan and readjust the ten bags in my hands as I try to keep up with her. By the time she slows down, outside of a Starbucks, my fingers are bright red, screaming in pain from the lack of circulation. "Christ woman," I huff out, trying to catch my breath. "You have way too much endurance."

"My endurance isn't just with shopping, you know," she teases with a wink.

I can feel my cheeks heat up, and it's not from the shopping marathon I just endured; it's from the sexy ass innuendo that just fell from Bella's sexy lips. I gulp and just nod, which makes her laugh. "Relax, Edward, I'm just teasing you."

"I'm…I'm fine," I stutter out, which only makes her laugh more.

For some reason…her teasing and laughter is making me…angry. I feel so incompetent and so…insecure around her sometimes. It's not just that she's older than me, honestly, that doesn't really bother me. She's just…mature, experienced, and sure of herself, and I'm…_not_.

I'm about to say something to her…but the smiling barista interrupts me. "Hey! How are you today?" he asks Bella with a bright smile that she returns.

"Fantastic. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm much better now," he says with a wolfish grin. _Asshole_. "What can I get for you today?" he asks as his eyes roam Bella's body.

"I'd love a Grande Caramel Frappuccino. What do you want Edward?"

"Nothing," I mutter petulantly.

"C'mon. You're going to need the caffeine."

"No. I'm fine." I have no fucking clue how to order a coffee here. What the hell is a Frappuccino, anyway?

When I see the total of her order, my eyes bug out. Five bucks for one drink?

"Can I have your name, Miss?" The annoying fucking barista asks.

"Bella."

"Mhm, how fitting," he says as he scrawls her name onto the plastic cup. My blood boils when I see that he adds a little heart and numbers; numbers that I can only assume equal to his phone number. "Doesn't Bella mean beautiful in Italian?" he asks her as he fixes her drink.

She blushes and shakes her head. "I don't know. Maybe."

His fingers linger against hers as he hands her the drink. "Thank you so much for stopping in. I hope to see you again." He sends Bella a final wink before focusing on the next customer.

I walk out of Starbucks, not stopping when Bella calls my name from somewhere behind me. She's not the only one who can speed walk. Suddenly the burn in my arms and the loss of blood in my fingers energizes me. It just helps to fuel my anger and the speed of my feet as they slap against the shiny floor.

When I get to the elevator, I slam my finger into the button. The elevator takes forever to arrive, which allows Bella to finally catch up to me. "What the hell, Edward?" she asks angrily. "Why'd you walk away like that?"

I don't answer her. I just keep my eyes focused on the shiny golden doors, waiting for them to open. The second they do, I push myself through them, dropping all of the bags on the floor of the empty elevator. Bella follows me in, placing her cup down next to all of the bags and crossing her arms over her chest.

I ignore her glare and press the C button, the level of the garage that we parked on. As soon as the doors are closed, she descends on me. "Well?" I ignore it. "What the fuck was all of that about? What is your problem?"

"You were flirting with him!"

Her eyes widen. "_What_?"

"The Starbucks dude! You were flirting with him. You were all confident and sexy, letting him just…flirt with you. You and your stupid, sophisticated, expensive goddamn coffee. Maybe you can show him how much stamina you have. Give him a call, he wrote his number on your fucking cup!"

"What?" she repeats again, looking completing confused, which only pisses me off further.

"Ugh!" I roar out my frustration as I walk toward her. Her eyes flash with something…maybe fear? But that doesn't stop me. I grab her face in my hands and slam my mouth against hers, nearly devouring her lips in a searing kiss. "Mine," I grunt against them before sliding my tongue into her warm, wet mouth. I groan as she massages my tongue with her own, responding with fervor to my nearly violent kisses.

I grip the back of her knee when she lifts her leg up, wrapping it around my hip. I let my right hand roam upward, not stopping until I'm cupping her firm, jean covered ass cheek. I give it a little squeeze, which causes Bella to moan into my mouth.

_Fuck_. I'm so goddamn hard. I press my erection against her, testing her reaction. She moans again, so I grind shamelessly against her, loving the friction against my aching cock.

A ding, followed by a gasp, makes us break apart instantly.

The blush that covers Bella's face rivals my own when we come face-to-face with a mother and her young daughter. I grab all of the bags while Bella grabs her coffee and we both rush out of the elevator, practically running towards Bella's car. "Oh my God!" she breathes out as she leans against the trunk. "I can't believe that just happened!"

Shame and regret fill me. "I-I'm sorry for doing that. I was just…I don't know what came over me. I'm really sorry."

She looks up and shakes her head. "Don't be sorry for that kiss. It was…" she shakes her head. "It was just embarrassing to be caught like that!" She lets out a giggle, followed by a snort, which makes her giggle even more.

God. She's so fucking _adorable_.

When she takes a sip of her coffee, my eyes must show my anger. "This really bothers you, doesn't it?" She holds up the cup, pointing to the number. I only nod. She shrugs, takes another sip, and then tosses it in the nearby garbage can. "I don't want him Edward. He was flirting with me, but I wasn't flirting back, okay? There's a difference."

I nod again, not trusting my voice to speak.

Bella sighs and wraps her arms around my waist. "We'll talk about…us…when we get home, okay?"

The way she said "we'll" and "us" and "home" warm my heart, making my anger and self-consciousness evaporate slightly.

I load all of our purchases into the trunk while Bella gets into the driver's seat. After backing out of the parking space, she takes my hand, placing it on her thigh. A huge smile breaks out over my face when she sends me a cute wink.

That smile doesn't leave my face the whole drive home.

* * *

**A/N: So! We're kinda getting somewhere. What do you think so far? **


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Bleh. RL has kicked my ass once again.**

* * *

**BPOV**

I watch Edward out of the corner of my eye the entire way home.

The way he kind of freaked out about the whole Starbucks thing kind of scared me…for a second anyway. My fear was quickly replaced by lust when he pretty much attacked me in that elevator. Obviously, something is wrong with me; because I'd think normally, you should be afraid when a man does that. You know – attacks you in an elevator. But I just couldn't be afraid of him. He's _Edward_.

I know that I don't know him very well, and I definitely haven't known him long, but I do know one thing – Edward will never hurt me. It's something that I just know, something that I've known since I met him, without a shadow of a doubt. Plus, um, have you seen Edward? He can attack me _any time_ he pleases.

I take the opportunity at a red light, to run my fingers across my lips, remembering the feeling of his hot wet lips there. _God_. He's an amazing kisser! A simple kiss from Edward…well…I don't think anything with Edward will ever be simple, but just a kiss from him…_damn_.

I discreetly rub my thighs together, trying to quell some of the desire that is seriously overwhelming me. I need to stop thinking about all of this. Plus, holding his warm hand in mine, reveling in the skin-to-skin contact is _soo_ not helping me right now. I realize that Edward is glancing at me out of the corner of my eye, which means I'm probably not being as discreet as I think I am.

_BEEEEP!_

"Shit!" I screech.

_BEEEEP!_

I grumble and flip the asshole off behind me, who just _had_ to beep his horn because I didn't move the exact second that the light turned green.

_Well, excuse me for daydreaming about the hot-as-fuck man right beside me!_

People can be so inconsiderate sometimes.

"You okay?" Edward asks me, concern written all over his features.

"Yeah," I give him a small smile. "I was just daydreaming."

I don't want him to think that something's wrong, because honestly, there isn't anything wrong. Do I wish he hadn't freaked out so much? Of course. Do I wish that kiss never happened? _Fuck no_. But seriously, it just baffles me. How in the world could Edward think that I would want that douche at Starbucks?

How could he not see that all I was doing was being polite, so that no spit wound up in my drink? How could he think that any man in the world could hold my attention, while he's standing right next to me? It just doesn't make sense. I just don't know.

-o-

"Okay. Are you going to model for me?" I ask with a grin. Edward just rolls his eyes and shakes his head. I frown. "Why not?" Edward laughs, but I don't. I'm not joking, damn it! This is very upsetting. I was looking forward to a runway show.

"I already know they're going to fit," he says with another shake of his head. "I don't need to model them."

"But…" I pout, jutting my lower lip out and making it tremble a bit. "I really want you to." Edward groans and shuts his eyes tightly. "What are you doing?" I ask.

"If I close my eyes, I won't see that face you're making. If I don't see that face, it won't work on me."

I laugh and grab his arm. "Edward, pleaseee!" I'm pretty much just hugging his arm as I beg him.

He looks down at me and gives me a little smirk. "What do I get out of it?"

"Hmm," I hum, thinking about it. "How about I model something for you?"

His brow furrows. "You didn't buy anything."

"I know. But I'm wearing a new bra and panty set." Oh my God! Did I really just say that?

He visibly swallows as his eyes rake down my body. When they widen, I almost laugh. Yep. I really said it. "You…uh…you'll model them for me?" he asks shyly.

"Yep. If you model for me."

"O-Okay."

I grin triumphantly before shoving him toward his bags that are lying haphazardly in the middle of the living room. He huffs but walks toward them, gathering them all into his hands.

"I'll be waiting out here!" I call to his retreating form.

He replies with a very unenthusiastic, "Yeah, yeah," before disappearing down the hallway.

-o-

_Damn_.

Just, _damn_.

I must admit; Edward Cullen is male perfection. Someone as perfect as he is should just not exist. I mean, it's not fair, is it? One man…all that sexiness…I guess God decided he didn't wanna share and pass it all around.

I swallow back the drool that pools in my mouth and squeak out a sentence. "Wow that looks great."

"Really?" Edward asks uncertainly. "I mean...I don't get why I need a suit, Bella."

"It'll come in handy," I wave him off.

Like tonight, when I'm lying alone in my bed, imagining you stripping it off for me, before you…

"Bella…"

I snap out of my daze. "Huh?"

"I asked you how a suit will come in handy?"

"Well…" I trail off, not really wanting to have the major "talk" yet. I know that we need to talk, about a lot of shit, but I'm having too much fun playing dress up with Edward.

"Well…" Edward trails off impatiently.

"How about you go and get into something comfortable, and then we'll talk?"

He gives me a small, thankful smile. "Okay." He runs off, heading back toward the hallway, toward his room, and I enjoy watching him leave.

Jesus. When did I turn into a perverted teenage boy?

_When Edward Cullen came into your life._

Yeah, sounds about right.

I think about that – Edward _Cullen_. I wonder if he ever tried to get into contact with Dr. Cullen again. I mean, honestly, how hard could it be? How many Carlisle Cullens exist? It is, after all, an extremely odd name. It has to be rare.

I grab my laptop off of the coffee table in front of me and turn it on. While I wait for it to boot up, I wonder if I'm betraying Edward's trust. Is this wrong of me? Should I not be looking this up right now? What if he doesn't want to find Carlisle, for one reason or another? Obviously Edward hasn't lived in the best of circumstances lately, but he could have searched him up somehow, right? He could have went to a library or used someone's computer.

Maybe he doesn't _want_ to find him.

I ignore all of my thoughts once my computer is on. I type in my password and open up my browser. Might as well use good ol' Google.

I type in Dr. Carlisle Cullen and a few thousand matches pop up. My mouth drops open as I see all of the links on my screen. I go with the first one, which happens to be a web page consisting of the top doctors in New York City. My eyes widen. _No fucking way_.

I close my eyes and lean back, letting all of that information sink in. I don't know how much time passes before Edward's voice scares the shit out of me.

"Much better," Edward sighs.

I nearly jump up off of the couch after slamming my laptop closed. "Huh?" I ask, trying to distract him from my craziness.

"I said I feel much better, you know, outta the suit. I don't think that's me." He gives me an adorable crooked grin. _Gah_! So cute!

"Oh," I frown. He kind of needs to get used to the whole "suit thing" if my plan is going to work out.

"What's wrong?"

"Um…nothing. So…I think we should talk."

His face heats up. "Um, yeah. Like I said, I'm sorry about that whole blow up." He stands next to the couch awkwardly. I grab his hand, pulling him gently down onto the couch beside me.

"I told you already, you don't have to be sorry about that, Edward."

He shakes his head. "Yes I do. That was totally uncalled for…and then I attacked you…" he sighs and covers his face with his hands. "I don't know what came over me. God, that's just…embarrassing."

"What was embarrassing about it?" I challenge.

"Like you said, getting caught by that mom and daughter…and…I don't know."

"That's all you were embarrassed about?" He nods. "Good. Because that's all that shocked me. Everything else…I loved it."

His eyes widen as he searches my face. "You did? But I…attacked you!"

"You did," I nod with a grin. "And I loved every second of it. Attack me whenever you want."

Edward lets out a low rumbly laugh. "Whenever I want?"

He doesn't allow me to answer, because he attacks me, _again_. His lips are on mine, powerful and warm, as he pushes me down into the couch. I spread my legs and welcome him into them immediately. I moan when he's there, _right there_, where I want and need him most. "God, Edward," I groan. I wrap my legs around him tightly, hooking my feet together as I push against his ass. "More."

He doesn't hesitate, he grinds his growing cock against me, making me arch my back for more.

_Weren't we supposed to be talking?_

Shut your mouth, you cock-blocking conscience!

_If I'm a conscious, I don't have a mouth._

I decide that talking to myself is crazy.

My second decision – stop talking to my crazy ass self.

Edward does a lovely little swivel with his hips, making my eyes nearly cross. _Fuck_, he feels so good. I try to remember if dry-humping with anyone else, _ever_ felt this good. Hooking up with Laurent – the dashing foreign exchange student who was the talk of Forks High, doesn't even compare to this. Hell, my entire marriage to Jake, and any sex that was had, doesn't even compare to this.

How is that even _possible_?

I stop contemplating all of that when…_mmm_…_God that feels so great_…when Edward nibbles at my earlobe. He sucks it gently into his mouth and I shiver from the sensations.

"You feel so good, Bella," Edward whispers in my ear.

"You too," I squeak out in between a couple of moans. I reach between us and palm his cock through his easily accessible sweatpants. I love sweatpants. Best invention _ever_. Edward lets out a grunt as I continue to squeeze his cock. "You like that?" I ask with a smirk. He nods into my neck. "Wait," I pull my hand away and push on his chest.

He pulls back with a frown on his face. "What's wrong? Shit. I'm sorry. Do you want to stop?"

I roll my eyes at him. Is he serious? "No! Of course not. I just need to do something."

"Oh."

"Stand up," I tell him as I right myself, sitting up on the couch. I pull my shirt off and toss it somewhere behind me.

"Fuck, Bella, you're gorgeous."

"So are you," I tell him with a smile. I tug on his shirt and he gets it, taking his own shirt off and tossing it out of the way. I reach for the waistband of his sweats and shove my fingers inside, grabbing the fabric and pulling them down.

I gasp in surprise, when I'm met with his bouncing, hard cock. "I-I'm sorry," he stutters. "I don't like underwear and I just wanted to be comfortable so- FUCK!"

I hum around his cock as I suck him down my throat. "Shit. Shit. Shit!" he chants repeatedly. Damn he tastes so good.

_When did you become a slut?_

I'm not a slut! I just…can't help myself around this man. When I saw _it_, you know – his massive cock, I just had to taste it. And I may be just a tiny bit horny and a whole lot of desperate. I haven't had sex in over a year. When Jake and I started to drift apart because he decided to drift his dick into other women, I cut him off. I guess subconsciously I knew what was going on. My dry spell worked in my favor though; I got out of the marriage without any STDs, at least.

"Bella," Edward groans out my name again, bringing me from my thoughts. I run my hands up his back, lightly scratching his skin with my nails. I slide my hands back down along his warm skin until I'm gripping his firm ass. I give it a squeeze, digging my nails into the flesh gently.

"Shit!" he yells suddenly. "Stop, I'm gonna…"

I shake my head, moaning around his length as I swirl my tongue all around him.

"But I'm-"

I pull my mouth off of him with an audible pop. I look up into his eyes. "I want you to. I want to taste you."

"R-Really?" his eyes widen.

I nod, grabbing his hard cock in my hand again and pumping slowly. "I really, really do." I give him a grin that he returns, before shutting his eyes tightly.

"Damn," he moans out. I continue pumping my hand slowly up and down as I flick my tongue out, using only the tip to lick all around his head. "Oh my fucking Godddd!" Edward nearly yells as he arches into my mouth, begging me silently to pull him back in. I comply, wrapping my lips around his head and using my hands position to pull him into my mouth. He groans and rubs his palms into his eyes.

I moan around his dick, loving the salty taste of him.

I've never really enjoyed that, going down on a guy. It was always just a necessary evil, but with Edward, I just…love it. I love the taste of him, the power I feel coursing through me, and I absolutely love watching Edward fall apart because of me.

Edward lets out a small gasp and his stomach muscles clench when I move one hand down to cup his balls. I massage them gently, slowly rolling them in between my fingers as I move my mouth back and forth, taking as much of his cock as I can, sucking hard and fast.

"B-Bella, I'm gonna cum."

I moan, long and loud, letting him know that I want him to.

A few seconds later, he spits out some impressive curse words as he releases into my mouth in long, hot spurts. I swallow him down immediately, continuing to suck him gently, wanting to pull every bit from him.

I release him from my mouth easily, holding his cock in my hands I lick it clean, smiling up at him in between. He gives me back the most adorable sleepy smile. I kiss the very tip of his dick and lie back, feeling damn proud of myself.

Edward kneels down in front of the couch, in between my slightly spread legs. "Wow," he murmurs as he rests his chin against my stomach.

I let out a small laugh and he grins at me. He trails a few small kisses all around my stomach, making goose bumps break out all over my skin. I run my fingers through his weirdly-colored coppery hair, making Edward hum against my skin.

"Bella…Bella…Bella…" Edward repeats my name over and over again and I hum right back at him.

"Bella!"

I sit up, startled by how loudly Edward shouted my name.

I blink a few times, looking up at Edward in confusion.

I'm confused, because, Edward is there, standing in front of me…completely dressed. I let my eyes roam over him, taking in the black tank top and loose grey sweat pants. By the time I'm at his bare feet, he's saying my name again.

"Huh?" I respond dumbly, not taking my eyes off of his toes.

"Bella! Are you even paying attention to a word I'm saying?"

No. I'm trying to figure out why the hell you're suddenly standing next to the couch dressed, when you were just naked and ready to go down on me.

"Huh?" I look up at Edward's face and see that he's smiling down at me.

"You fell asleep. Are you okay?"

He runs a hand through his hair and I let out a small gasp as the memory of me running my hands through it seconds before rushes through me. No. Not a memory. He said I fell asleep. Shit! That whole entire thing was a dream? But…it felt so real! I bite my lip, because I have the insane urge to cry. I want it to be real. Was that seriously all just a dream?

"I-I'm fine," I lie quickly. There's really no need for Edward to know what an absolute freak I am. "How long was I sleeping?" I frown now, wondering how I could have imagined all of that so quickly.

"I took a quick shower," he blushes slightly. "I was gone for maybe fifteen minutes I guess."

"Oh."

"So…we should talk huh?" Edward asks as he rubs his neck.

"Um, yeah," I nod and sit up, scooting over so he can sit down beside me.

"Like I said, I'm sorry about that whole blow up." My eyes nearly bug out of my head when he says word-for-word what he said in my dream.

I decide to go along with the whole dream copying speech. "I told you that you don't need to be sorry about that, Edward."

Unfortunately, Edward didn't get the dream memo, because his next words aren't what he said during my awesome sexy dream. "I know." He shrugs. "I just don't want things to feel awkward with us now."

I shake my head, both to rid the images of my dream from my brain and to also let him know that they won't be. "Nothing between us will be awkward." I give him a warm smile. "I want things to just…progress naturally for us, you know? We can take things slow and get to know each other. This obviously isn't an ideal way to start…something…but I think we can make it work." Yeah. Go slow – as in – don't stick his dick in your mouth, Bella.

"Yeah?" he asks with a smile as he slings his arm along the back of the couch.

"Yeah," I whisper as he leans closer, hoping like hell he'll kiss me. I moan, when he does indeed kiss me, and frown when he pulls away before it gets any wetter- I mean better. I nearly groan in sexual frustration when he begins playing with my hair instead of ravaging my body.

Stupid, hormonal dream making me stupidly horny.

Edward reaches for the remote and turns on my huge flat screen. He settles on a random action movie with that bald dude whose name I can never remember. My phone chimes and I reach across and grab it off the table as Edward laughs about something the bald dude just said. When I grab my phone, I notice that my laptop is open and I quickly shut it.

I guess Dream Bella couldn't help me out and shut it for me in reality too.

I let the guilty feelings melt away, ignoring the results that were on the screen.

I settle back into the couch and look at my phone. It's a text from Rose.

**I think I found the perfect the perfect person for the new assistant job. Have an interview with her tomorrow. Let you know how it goes. xo**

I sigh. Great. It looks like I need to go into the office tomorrow. If Rose thinks she found the perfect person, she'll hire her right away, because I need a new PA like, yesterday. I need that job for Edward, though, so I need to be there to talk her down to Rose. It's selfish and kind of bitchy, but I'll do what I need to do in order to help Edward.

I'll find something else for her. I'm not that heartless.

"Everything okay?" Edward asks me sweetly.

I nod and give him a smile before snuggling up against him. "I need to go into the office tomorrow. Do you want to come?"

He shrugs. "Sure."

I make sure to not tell him why it's important for him to be there. I also neglect to inform him that his sexy ass will be wearing that fuck-hot suit.

* * *

**A/N: Bella is sneaky! And very imaginative, eh? LOL!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Hi! I love you and your never-ending understanding and patience with me. I know I suck, majorly.**

* * *

I wake up with a feeling of dread resting heavily in my stomach.

Looking over at the huge antique clock on the far wall of my living room, I see that the alarm on my phone should go off in about seven minutes.

_Great._

I have seven minutes to tell Edward that our trip into the office today isn't so much a "Hey! Come with me to the office for no reason at all." I'll need to tell him that it's more of a, "Hey, put that suit on, you know, the one that you hate so much? Yeah, that one, so I can informally interview you and convince my best friend that we should totally hire you over someone who is probably more qualified, but hey, who gives a shit, right?"

I have to hold back an inappropriate giggle when I realize that Edward's only problem with my second explanation would probably be the suit.

I swear it's like his arch nemesis, and he's only worn the thing once; for like, five minutes.

I struggle to lean somewhat off of the couch, in an attempt to reach my iPhone that is now going to go off, and wake the sleeping Edward beside me up in about one minute. One minute is _so_ not enough time to come up with a plan, considering I just spent six minutes thinking and came up with fuck-all.

Edward groans and wraps his strong arms more firmly around my waist, essentially trapping me in my no-reach-phone-zone. Normally, I might think it's cute how he subconsciously can tell when I'm not near him and how he physically tries to right that. However, right now it's just a major pain in my ass.

I yelp when my alarm begins shrieking. It sounds so out of place in my warm, Edward-induced bubble. Not cool.

The worst part of it all – Edward isn't even waking up! I know, I know. I was just praying for my alarm to not go off and wake him, and now I'm bitching about it. However, it going off, and Edward not waking up, means I'm trapped and forced to listen to the shrill fucking thing, over and over again.

This is the worst morning I've had in a while, and I've only been awake for ten damn minutes.

Today should be great.

_Sarcasm._

Since I can't get to the phone-that-shall-not-be-reached, and the-man-who-can-sleep-through-anything isn't stirring, I figure the best way out of this is to try and wake his ass up. "Edward! Wake up."

All that earns me is a sexy groan and wandering hands. Edward pulls me back against him tightly, letting me feel his morning erection snugly against my lower back.

_Stay focused, Bella. _

"Edward," I snake my hands up and behind me, finding purchase on Edward's silky hair. I give it a hard tug. "Wake up!"

In a move that seems nearly instantaneous, Edward is awake and on top of me. His breathing is heavy and his eyes are wild as he looks down at my face. For a second, it looks like he's trying to think of something to say, but he doesn't. His face descends toward my own and our lips meet frantically. His hot, wet tongue swipes across my lip, asking for access that I'm not willing to grant.

I don't care how much I want him or how sexy he is – I will _not_ kiss him with killer morning breath. We didn't even brush our teeth last night! One taste of my mouth right now might turn him off for good, and that's definitely not something I want happening.

My denial must break through his sleepy haze, because suddenly he's not only off of me, but the couch altogether. "Shit. I'm so sorry, Bella." He rubs the palms of his hands into his eyes roughly. "I was asleep and I was having a, uh, dream and I must have just…" he trails off and removes his hands from his eyes. "What the hell is that noise?"

Now that I'm finally freed from my Edward-prison, I reach over and grab my phone, swiping across the screen and finally shutting off the stupid alarm. "That, was my annoying alarm. I was trying to reach for it, but I couldn't. That's why I tried to wake you up, so you'd let go and I could get up to shut it off. But…that had a reverse outcome, obviously." I smirk at him, so he knows I'm not upset. "And before you even say anything…do not apologize again. Like you said, you were asleep, and you definitely didn't hurt me. I would've gladly welcomed your sexy advances, but my alarm was actually hurting me – my ears at least."

He sighs and lets out a breath, looking completely relieved. "What a way to wake up, huh?" The boyish grin that covers his handsome face is probably the cutest thing I've ever seen.

"It was a nice way to wake up, if you remove the alarm from the equation. And maybe some of your clothes." I wink at his shocked face. I stand up and walk toward him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"We could remove some of them now?" he asks with a raised eyebrow and a slight blush. God, the way he blushes is so adorable!

"I wish we could. I really, really do. But we need to get showered and dressed. We have to go into the office, today, remember? And this," I finger his tank top, "isn't going to cut it."

He frowns. "I wouldn't wear this to your office. I have some nice shirts and jeans, remember?" He smiles, but when I don't agree, it disappears. "Oh, no." He shakes his head quickly. "Not the suit!" I smile and nod. "But…Bella…why?"

I swear, at this point, I'm expecting him to pout and stomp his foot like a five-year-old, but he doesn't. "My office is an upscale kind of place, you know? It's a workplace and you need to dress the part."

"But I don't work there."

"But you will."

I pull away from him and trudge toward the kitchen. I can hear him behind me and it's like I'm being lead to my death or something equally dramatic. "What?" he asks, his voice full of obvious confusion. "What are you talking about?"

I ignore his questions and go about making a pot of coffee. Once I can no longer busy myself with that task, I turn to face him. He looks confused and angry. This isn't good. "What did you mean? What does 'but you will' mean?"

"It means that I want you to get a position there. I'm trying to help you, Edward. Don't you see that?"

"Bella…I'm nineteen-years-old. I haven't gone to college. I haven't even gone to fucking high school! How the hell am I going to work there? And in a suit, no less! Which means you're not expecting me to be the fucking mail boy. Please, tell me what you plan for a homeless low-life to do at your extravagant, best-selling author, place of employment!" I just stand there, stock still, mouth hanging open. "Well?" he raises an eyebrow at me expectantly.

"I…I want to put you up for a new position. I need a PA, a personal assistant. You would basically just do whatever I need you to do throughout the day. It's a huge range of different things that would be needed. I wouldn't put you up for something I didn't think you could handle, Edward. And yes, the suit would be required. Like you said, it's an extravagant, best-selling-author place of employment, and you will need to dress as required." I smile at him, hoping my joke will make him laugh, or even just crack a small grin.

It does neither. He just stands there, staring at me with his hands on his slim hips. After a minute, he exhales loudly and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Bella…I can't do this. Thank you for wanting to help me, but I just can't. All of the things I said are true. I didn't even go to high school. Sure, I can read and write and I'm not stupid, I've tried to teach myself things over the years. All of the hours I spent in libraries during the winters weren't just to soak up the free heat. I read everything, every chance I got, but…that's it. I'm not worldly, I'm not smart, and I'm not sophisticated. I'm just a kid with nothing to show for his nineteen years of life."

"Edward…" I shake my head and wrap my arms around his waist. I look up at his beautiful, but sad, green eyes. "I think the fact that you're standing here, alive and well, is an accomplishment in itself. You've been through so much, and you've gone through it all alone. I just want to help you. Don't you see that? I promise that what I'm going to get you for work is something you can not only handle, but excel at. I want to make your life better. I want to give you everything that someone who is as amazing as you deserves. And what you deserve the most is for someone to have faith in you and give you a chance."

Edward rests his hands on my shoulders as he peers down at me. His slightly calloused hands drift up my neck until he's cupping my face. He leans down slowly, and I watch in anticipation as his pouty mouth descends toward mine. Our lips meet, softly and tenderly. I can feel the emotion Edward is pouring into the kiss and I return the favor. My hands slide up from his hips to his chest and I scratch lightly at the small splatter of soft hair there.

Unfortunately, a moment later, Edward ends our kiss. "I'm sorry," he murmurs into my hair. "You're right. I overreacted." He hugs me to him tightly and I sigh into his chest.

"It's okay."

"Is everyone else going to be okay with you hiring me?"

I pull back from him slightly and smirk. "I'm the boss."

-o-

Two hours later, Edward and I are standing in the elevator, heading up to the office. After ten floors of watching him fidget, I speak up. "You're fine. You look so handsome."

"Really?" he asks with a grin.

"Really." I clasp his hand in mine and give him a reassuring squeeze.

The doors open up seconds later and we break apart quickly. Well, I broke apart from Edward. I see a flicker of hurt register across his face and I feel a pang of guilt. I'll need to explain it all to him later; how our relationship will need to be different once we exit the elevators.

Geesh. This is really going to get complicated.

_Get? It's been complicated from the start!_

Okay. This is going to get _even more_ complicated.

Edward shuffles out of the elevator without a word and all I can do is silently follow him. He stands awkwardly near the desk and runs his long fingers through his already messy hair. He tried to do something to it before we came here, but it wouldn't cooperate. I told him he didn't have to do anything to it; that his hair is always sexy, no matter what. That earned me his cute blush again.

"Hello Ms. Swan," Jessica greets me with a smile. "I didn't know we were expecting you in today. And who is this?" she asks before licking her lips and nearly devouring Edward with her eyes.

Jealousy rages inside me but I hold it back, knowing right now is not the time or place for it. What kind of boss would I be if I threw down with my employee because she was eye-fucking my…

Hmm, what is Edward to me? We talked but we didn't really define anything. I'll just add that to the list of long ass conversations that I don't really want to deal with.

"This is Edward. He's my friend that you met the other day."

Her eyes widen comically. "Wow," she breathes, twirling a piece of her wavy hair between her fingers. "You clean up nice."

"Um, thanks," Edward mumbles shyly.

"Jessica," I say her name as a warning.

She clears her throat. "Here's your coffee, Ms. Swan." She hands me my go-to morning Starbucks. "Ms. Hale is waiting for you in the conference room. She's going to start an interview. Edward, is of course, welcome to stay here while you work. I'll keep him company." She not so subtly licks her lips.

Edward's eyes widen and his panicked face begs me to help him. "Actually, Edward needs to join me this morning, but thank you. Hold any calls until the interview is over. We shouldn't be long."

"Yes, Ms. Swan."

As we're walking down the corridor, I look back to see a frowning Jessica leaning as much as she can over her desk, watching us. When she sees me watching _her_, she plasters a fake smile on her face and sits back down at her desk, making herself look busy.

I sigh as we reach the door, hoping like hell that Jessica won't be an issue. I knock lightly on the door and enter when I hear Rose call from within. "Come in!"

She smiles when she sees me and gives me a little wave. The blonde woman sitting beside her smiles too, but hers is more flirty than friendly and is definitely directed at Edward.

When Rose stands, so does the woman. I nearly roll my eyes when I see her attire. She's wearing bright red button down shirt, with not many buttons buttoned at all. The fabric looks as if it's struggling to hold in her obviously-enhanced tits. The shirt is tucked into a too-tight, too-short mini skirt. The young woman finishes off the outfit with a pair of black stilettos.

She thinks this is okay attire for an office?

I realize too late that I'm glaring at her. Rose clears her throat and raises an eyebrow at me. "Bella, this is Heidi. She's here to interview for your personal assistant job."

"Hello, Heidi," I say politely with probably the fakest smile that's ever been on my face. I don't know why, but right away I'm on the defensive. There's something about her that I just don't like.

_Could it be the way that she's looking at Edward like he's something to eat?_

No! Jessica did the same thing. I don't care.

Okay. It _does_ bother me, but it's more than that.

Edward seems to feel off too, because he's stock still beside me. He's not even blushing or fidgeting. It's like he's frozen.

"Hello Ms. Swan. It's so nice to meet you." Heidi reaches across the mahogany table and extends her hand to mine. I shake it briefly and nod before taking a seat. I nudge Edward's hand that's dangling near the vicinity of my face and he finally unfreezes and sits beside me.

"First of all-" Rose starts to speak but I interrupt her.

"I'm sorry, Rose. But may I speak first?" Rose looks confused but nods. "Heidi, firstly, let me tell you that it's very nice to meet you." Wow. I deserve a best actress award for this shit. "Unfortunately, I have to inform you that the position for my personal assistant has already been filled."

Heidi looks confused and Rose looks both confused and pissed. Shit. I'll have to deal with that later. I ignore the glare I can feel her shooting at me and focus on what Heidi's saying.

"But…I came all the way down here. Nobody mentioned anything about the position already being filled. My father wants me to get this job. I need this job. This is ridiculous!" She's getting angrier by the second, and I'd really like to avoid a scene, so I'm quick to calm her.

"I'm so sorry, Miss…?" I realize that I do not know her last name.

"Volturi," she says with an almost sneer as she folds her arms across her chest.

"Miss Volturi," I say with a nod. "I'm sorry you came all the way down here without knowing this but it was very abrupt and last minute. However, we would like to offer you another position with the same salary and benefits."

"I'll still work here?" she asks, now somewhat calmer.

"That's correct."

She shrugs. "Okay. That works for me. When do I start?" She slaps a huge smile on her face.

Wow. Whiplash much? Doesn't she even want to know her position?

_You don't even know her position._

Oh, right.

"We'll work on starting you Monday. How does that sound? We can go all of the details then, including what your duties will be and what will be expected of you."

I stand and this time I offer my hand to her. She takes it and shakes it firmly. "It sounds great! I'll see you Monday."

"Please wait in the lobby for a moment. I'm going to have Jessica give you some paperwork to fill out. We'll also need to make copies of all of the personal paperwork you brought with you today. Okay?"

"Sure."

And then she's gone.

I plop down into the chair I just vacated, feeling mildly better and proud of the way I handled the irate blonde.

That is, until I see the looks on both Edward's and Rose's face.

_Damn it._

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**A/N: I don't know about you, but I'd love to be in Edward's head right now! Thankfully, that's happening next chapter. :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Gosh. I suck so much, I know. Hopefully you can forgive me for taking forever to update. I've suffered from some suffer writer's block. Good news: I've pushed through and not only did I write this chapter, but I also wrote the next one. :) You've waited long enough! Let's see what's going on in our boy's mind, eh?**

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**EPOV**

Bella's question and the blonde woman's answer replays on a loop in my mind.

"I'm so sorry, Miss…?"

"Volturi."

That one word; that one name, completely shatters my world.

Does she know who I am? Is that why she's here? It she here for her father? Is this a message? Is he going to show up here next? _Fuck_!

Just when I thought that things were turning around; when I thought that shit was finally going my way...

What a stupid prick I am, thinking I could actually have that elusive happy ending.

Yeah fucking right.

I remember the words that the Italian bastard had said to me in that alley that night. "You will not walk away from our next meeting." I can't let Bella be anywhere near me when they find me. The thought alone makes me sick to my stomach.

By the time the door clicks closed behind her as she exits, I'm near the point of hyperventilating. I stare at Bella, completely dumbfounded by what just happened. One glance at Rose proves that she's feeling the exact same way.

"What the hell, Bella!" Rose suddenly shouts as she stands and places her hands on her hips.

Bella doesn't flinch and she doesn't move to stand. She just sits there beside me, looking completely calm. I grip at the arms of my chair tightly to keep from freaking the fuck out as I watch their exchange.

"What?" Bella asks calmly.

"You just…you took over my interview! Hell, I didn't even get to _interview_ her! And how in the fuck did you fill the position, and why didn't you tell me that you did? You made me look like an idiot just now! And what position are you going to offer her in exchange? _You_ didn't even really _interview_ her!" Rose sits back down and buries her face into her hands. "I'm so confused."

"Rose," Bella sighs and scoots closer to her friend. "I'm sorry I railroaded you. I didn't mean to. I panicked." Rose raises her head and arches an eyebrow. "I need to hire Edward for that position."

Rose opens her mouth and closes it at least three times. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm two seconds away from a meltdown, I'd laugh. She finally speaks, but I'm sure it's not what she actually wants to say. "Okay." She combs her fingers through her thick blonde hair. "What do you need from me to make that happen?"

Bella looks surprised but smiles. "Well…Edward needs paperwork, right Edward?" she turns to look at me and her brow creases in concern. She pushes her chair back toward me. "Are you okay?"

I shake my head, just the slightest bit.

"Rose, can we finish this later?"

"Sure," she sighs. "Come to my office and we'll discuss the details."

I have a feeling these "details" can't be discussed in front of me.

Bella stands and I follow her out of the conference room and into her office. I plop down onto the comfy couch and shove my face into my hands. I feel the couch dip with Bella's weight just before I feel her hand on my shoulder. "What's going on?"

"Um…" Where the hell do I even begin?

"Just start at the beginning Edward. Whatever is wrong, we'll work through it, okay?"

My eyes widen for a second, thinking that somehow Bella can read my thoughts, and then they roll, because I realize I'm an idiot.

"Okay," I nod. "That woman in there?" Bella nods for me to continue. "She's um…I know her, but she doesn't know me. At least…I think she doesn't. I'm not sure."

"How do you know her?" Bella asks carefully.

"She's um…her last name is Volturi. I've seen her somewhere before and I know her father."

"Okay…"

"When you found me in that alley…" I swallow around the lump forming in my throat. "He was the one that did that to me. Her father's name is Aro Volturi and he's a very dangerous man."

Bella's eyes are wide with shock. "She mentioned her father wanting her to have this job…oh my God! Edward!" She stand quickly and begins pacing. "What if he knows that you're with me, that you're _here_?"

A block of anxiety forms in my stomach.

_Shit. _

Does she want me to leave?

Leave her office, leave her home; her life?

"Bella…if this is too much, if you're worried about this getting out somehow, I can leave. I'm not doing the whole martyr thing, I promise. I can figure something else out and maybe-"

"Edward," Bella sighs my name heavily.

This is it.

"I don't know how many times I need to tell you this, but this is the last time I'm going to say it, okay?" I nod. "I'm not letting you go anywhere. This is…a bad situation, but it's my fault. I'll fix this. Okay?"

"How?"

"I'm not sure yet. One thing I am sure of, though, is who can help me fix it." She bites her lip and gives me a small, unsure smile. "I need Rosalie's help."

I let out a bark of a laugh and then clamp my hand over my mouth. "Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh."

Bella laughs herself. "It's okay. It is kind of funny, isn't it? Well…unless of course she kills me, which in all honesty, could be a total possibility right about now." She grins at me, making the knot of anxiety slightly loosen its hold on me.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

She shakes her head. "No. This is something that I'm going to need to do by myself, I think. She won't really kill me. I'm the one who signs her paychecks, so I'm safe." Bella stands, smoothing down her black skirt. My eyes follow her hands, and goddamn, I wish those hands were mine right about now.

When I finally get my dirty mind in check, I look up, only to find Bella catching me staring. I can feel my face heat up slightly as she smirks down at me. "Like what you see?" she asks with a wink.

I lick my lips and nod, smirking myself when I see her eyes zero in on my mouth. "Do you like what you see, Ms. Swan?"

"Oh, very much."

I stand up, placing my hands on her slim hips. "How much?"

"Too much," she whispers, all playfulness gone. "How about you?"

I nod. "Ditto."

My silly, yet honest response makes her giggle, lightening the mood a bit. "Okay. I need to go face the firing squad. And you…can stay here, for now. I have to get together some kind of paperwork for you. I'll talk to Rose about that, too."

"Okay," I nod. Just as she's about to walk out the door, I call to her. "Bella, wait." She stops, hand on the door handle and looks at me with an eyebrow raised. I walk toward her slowly, completely ignoring the statement she made earlier about us needing to act differently here. I press my lips lightly against hers, just for a second. When I pull back I smile down at her beautiful face. "Thank you, for everything."

She just smiles at me and plants a kiss on my cheek before leaving me alone in her office.

The second the door shuts I unbutton my jacket and throw it onto the couch, happy to be rid of the stuffy thing. I loosen the tie and let it join the stupid jacket, finally freeing my neck. I unbutton the dress shirt a little and roll up the sleeves, feeling much better about my attire.

I stand there, basically twiddling my fucking thumbs for a few seconds until I realize how completely unorganized Bella Swan is. I decide to make myself useful for once and make a plan in my head to organize the shit out of this office.

**BPOV**

_You are the biggest idiot in the world, Bella Swan. _

I can't believe I did that. I can't believe I took over the entire interview and didn't even _interview_ the chick! I just offered her a position in panic, hoping to shut her up and appease her. I let my need to help Edward override my judgment. I could have just told her that the position had been filled and been done with it, but I panicked. I let that stupid girl get to me and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

And she's…she's that bastard's daughter.

What have I done?

The walk to Rose's office doesn't help ease my anxiety, it only worsens it.

She's going to be so upset with me for how I treated her in there. Sure, at the end of the day, I'm the boss, but that was supposed to be Rose's interview. I took it over because I'm the boss and I can, and on top of that, I did it for selfish reasons.

I knock twice on her door before I hear a quiet "come in."

Steadying myself, I enter her office. Well…my head does. "Hey," I say quietly, poking only my head inside the door.

Rose raises an eyebrow at me. "Hi? What are you doing?" She smirks at me, so I know I'm not in the doghouse _completely_. I shrug. "Are you planning on coming in or…?"

"Oh. Right." I awkwardly walk into her office and sit down in a chair across from her desk. "What's up?" I feel like a kid who got sent to the principal's office.

"Okay. What the fuck is going on?" Rose asks bluntly. "Why are you acting so weird?"

"I'm so sorry! I've messed everything up and I have no idea what I'm fucking doing. I'm a failure and an idiot and I've just ruined it all completely. Plus I was a total bitch to you, and I promise I didn't mean to be. It's just that I got so nervous and panicked and-"

"Bella!" Rose cuts me off. "Stop. Take a breath." I do. "Better?" I nod. "Now…_slowly_, tell me what's going on?"

"That woman that we interviewed; the woman that _I_ interviewed, she's going to be a problem."

"Why?"

"Edward knows her." Rose arches an eyebrow. "She's someone who can hurt him. Well…she knows someone who can hurt him."

"Bella," Rose sighs. "I am so damn confused."

"Sorry." I bury my head in my hands, taking a few deep breaths, trying to collect my rambling thoughts. "That woman, Heidi, she's the daughter of Aro Volturi. A few days ago, when I brought Edward in here? I found him beaten to a pulp in that dark alley, and Aro was the one who caused it all. I think, and so does Edward, that Heidi was sent here to find Edward. I think Aro somehow knows that Edward is here, or suspects it, at least. I'm just not sure if Heidi knows the real reason why she's here. If he finds Edward…"

"What did Edward tell you about Aro?"

"Not much."

"I'll find out."

"What?"

"I'll work on all of this. Plus, I'll call a guy I know about getting Edward some paperwork. I think you need to readjust his position, though." I frown at that, so Rose explains. "He shouldn't be your personal assistant, Bella." I'm about to argue, but Rose holds up her hand. "I'm not saying that you shouldn't get him a job, I just said his position needs to be readjusted. I'm not entirely sure what's going on between you, but I think your professional and personal lives need to be separated as much as possible. You're going to be living together. If he's your assistant, that means at home and at work you'll be together constantly. It might seem fun at first but...it won't always be that way, trust me. All of that kind of stuff needs to be factored in. Plus, if all of this is true about Heidi and Aro...maybe it'd be a good idea to keep her close to us and Edward as far away as possible. Just let me handle it all, okay?"

I sigh heavily, knowing that she's right. "Okay."

"Go find Edward and try to find out as much information from him about this guy as you can, alright? I'm going to find out about that James guy, too. I haven't forgotten that, either."

My stomach clenches with guilt. She's doing so much for me right now. "Thank you, so, so much, Rose. I'll make all of this up to you, I promise."

"Anytime, baby," she winks. "And I know you will. I'm looking forward to my Christmas bonus this year.

I leave her office laughing, feeling marginally better than when I entered it. I have no idea how I got so lucky to have Rosalie in my life, but I won't take her for granted ever again, and I'll definitely never disrespect her the way I did today, either.

Walking into my office, my feeling-better mood drifts off when I see a stunned looking Edward sitting behind my desk. What really makes my heart sink though, is what he's staring at – my open laptop.

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**A/N: Seems as though Edward may have stumbled upon something he shouldn't have, hmm? For those of you who were mad at Bella, I hope you can kinda see where her head was. Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes. I need Bella to not be so perfectly scary to Edward, ya know? See you Friday. (FOR REAL)  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All Twilight-related material belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**A/N: Hi! Told ya I'd see ya Friday. :) Bella's in trouble.**

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**EPOV**

Everyone always says that guys are slobs, but after looking through Bella's office…I'd say that's a lie, at least where Bella Swan is concerned. I mean, I wouldn't call her a slob to her face or anything that stupid, but damn. The girl definitely needs to invest in a label maker, and maybe some filing cabinets.

After sorting through all of the papers on her desk and putting them into piles, I walk over to the bookcase that covers almost the entire right wall. The girl has taste. Just by skimming through her vast array of books I can tell we have a lot in common book-wise. I read a lot in those warm libraries. I smile when I spot J.D Salinger. I'm going to have to ask her if I can borrow from the Bella Library. I grab Franny and Zooey, ready to pass the time with the Glass children.

I slouch back against Bella's comfortable office chair and crack open the book. After reading only a few pages, I realize I'm not even concentrating on the words. I have too much shit on my mind. I put the book down and rub my eyes tiredly. I slept great last night, wrapped around a warm and cozy Bella, but right now, I feel like I haven't slept in days. There's been way too much shit going on.

When my eyes finally focus, I realize Bella's laptop is open, on the far corner of the large desk. Deciding to numb my mind with ridiculous internet shit, I pull it toward me. Opening up the browser, my stomach clenches painfully when I realize what I'm looking at.

_Carlisle Cullen…_

**BPOV**

Edward's facial expression, combined with my opened laptop leaves no room for guessing what's upset him. I just keep screwing up today. Well, I guess this screw up counts as yesterday's, seeing as how I didn't even think to close my goddamn browser.

I close the door behind me quietly and walk towards Edward slowly. I feel like he's ready to bolt at any minute; yet again I feel as though he's an animal trapped in a cage. "Edward?" I speak softly. He doesn't answer.

I sigh and place my hand on his shoulder. About a minute goes by and when neither of us have said anything, I reach to shut the laptop – the offending piece of technology that started this whole mess.

"Don't close it!" Edward suddenly grits out between clenched teeth. My hand freezes on the laptop and I remove my hand from his shoulder. "Why?" he asks quietly and calmly. Honestly, I wish he was screaming at me. This eerie calm that's rolling off of him is just that – eerie.

"Why what?" I ask stupidly. I know what he's asking me. I just can't bring myself to be brave enough to tell him.

He laughs coldly, standing up and striding away from my desk. He paces for a few minutes, before shoving his hands into his hair. When he turns around, his facial expression nearly takes my breath away. He looks so hurt and so betrayed and _I'm_ the one who put that there.

"Edward…"

"Don't, Bella. Just don't. I don't want to hear it. Okay? I just…I need some time."

And with that, he strides right out of my office.

**EPOV**

It's not until I'm outside and freezing that I realize I left my jacket and everything else in Bella's office. _Fuck it_. I'm not going back for them. I can't face her. I've been freezing before, I can deal with it again.

I've dealt with a lot before Bella came along. I don't need her and her fancy fucking apartment. I don't need a warm bed and a warm body to share it with. I don't need a meal every night. I don't need anything from anyone.

You might not _need_ any of that from her, but you _want_ it. You want _her_.

I ignore my conscious and continue striding through the packed sidewalk. I listen in on girlfriends' conversations about shopping, a father talking to his son about baseball, and an old man promising his worrying wife that he is, in fact, on his way home. I focus on the sounds of stranger's voices for a few more blocks until I reach Central Park.

I pass by the bench that was once my home in a remote part of the park; well as remote as you can get in Central Park. I plop down and rub my forearms, trying to generate some heat. Without the constant chatter and movement to occupy my thoughts…I begin thinking about shit that I don't want to think about at all.

Carlisle Cullen.

I'm not stupid. I have great eyesight. I know what I read on that website. Why the fuck was Bella looking him up? What was the point of it? Why did she go behind my back? And _that_, right there, is what's bothering me the most.

I truly believed that I could trust Bella. As crazy as it may seem, to trust someone so implicitly after such a short time, I did honestly trust her. I've told her more in the last couple of days than I've told anyone in my entire life.

And look where it got me.

I'm not sure I can trust her anymore. If I can't trust her, I can't be with her. It's just never going to work out.

I sigh and lay my head back, resting it uncomfortably against the aging wood.

"Hey there, handsome, long time no see!"

I crack an eye open and just barely stifle my groan. I'm _so_ not in the mood for this shit right now. "Hi." It's all I say, hoping to somehow persuade her to leave me the fuck alone.

"Is that all you've got to say to me, sugar?"

"Yes."

"Someone's grumpy." I can hear the pout in her voice. It's not cute on such a..."mature" woman. "What's wrong?"

I laugh. "As if you really care. What do you want, Shelley?"

Shelley Cope is the true definition of a cougar. She's an older woman; a much older woman who preys on young, vulnerable men. I was once one of her victims. If you ask her, I'm sure she'd tell you I was one of her lovers.

The truth is, she gave me a place to stay for a while – as long as I'd have sex with her. When I decided that I didn't want to do that anymore; when I realized how truly wrong it was – she kicked me out, back onto the street. I was fifteen when that happened. She hasn't stopped trying to get me back into her life, more specifically – back into her bed.

"Nothing. I was just strolling through the park and-"

"Don't you mean trolling for potential new prey?" I ask with a raised brow. I'm not going to pretend to be happy to see her. I'm not going to politely decline her offer. I'm not going to lie and say "hope to see you again." No. I'm not doing any of that shit. I'm sick and tired of playing these stupid games with retched people who aren't worth my time.

"Oh, Edward!" she laughs. "You're so silly. I was just getting out for some fresh air…and look who I run into. It's fate, darling. Why don't you come back to my place with me and I'll cook you something nice and hot. And then…you can…repay me."

She winks at me, causing the blue goop that she calls make-up to fight amongst her too-long fake lashes. I almost laugh at how pathetic she is. I probably would have, if I wasn't currently pissed the fuck off. "Beat it, Shelley."

She pouts again, looking more and more ridiculous as the minutes pass. Her pout doesn't last very long, though. Rejection and pride mix together, forming a sinister smile on her wrinkled face. "Oh, I see. You've found another little sugar mama, have you? Someone younger? Hotter? Richer? You're services are already taken? It's okay, I don't mind waiting my turn. Sloppy seconds, or in your case, fourths or fifths, don't bother me. Here," she holds out a card. "Give me a call when your contract is up."

Rage fills me quicker than I thought physically possible and I launch myself up from the bench, until I'm only inches from her face. Fear mixed with something probably close to lust fills her eyes. I don't break eye contact when I speak, and surprisingly enough, I mean every single word that falls from my cold, chapped lips. "I don't have a 'sugar mama', Shelly. I have a girlfriend. One who I am sure is missing me right now, and looking for me." I hope. "I need to get back to her. I'm going home. I sincerely hope I never have to lay my eyes on your fucking face again, but if I do…run."

Her eyes widen and she opens her mouth to speak, but I don't wait to hear what she has to say. I walk quickly, which turns into a jog, which turns into a sprint, as I make my way out of the park. I'm at Bella's office in record time. My fingers flex and my hands shake as I wait for the elevator to arrive. The man exiting looks at me with concern when I nearly shove past him to get into the elevator. "Sorry," I mumble as the doors close.

When the doors finally close completely, I study myself in the golden reflection. I look like a mess. My entire face is bright red, probably from the combination of spending an hour in the cold and running like a mad man for the last ten minutes. My hair is a fucking mess, but it always is and I've given up on it completely. My cuts and bruises are less noticeable now, but noticeable enough to make me look like a jackass.

I combing my fingers through the fuckery that is my hair when the doors open, signaling that I've arrived on Bella's floor. I take a deep breath and try to steady myself. I walk as quickly and quietly as I can past whats-her-face's desk. "Edward!" the chick calls just as I enter the hallway. Fuck. So close.

"Yeah?" I call back over my shoulder, not really stopping my pace.

"Bella's not here."

My heart sinks and I unfortunately begin walking toward Jessica – yes, Jessica, that's her name. "What do you mean? It's not even noon yet. Why isn't she here?"

She shrugs. "I don't know. She hurried past me about a half an hour ago, muttering about needing to go home. She told me to hold all calls and cancel a meeting she set up earlier for later today. She looked really upset. She didn't even have any of her stuff and she didn't call for her driver."

Fuck.

"Oh," I say stupidly. "Well…I'm going to grab my things from her office and I'll get her stuff too."

"Okay," Jessica nods. "Do you want me to call the car for you?"

I hesitate, thinking about how the fat dude who drives Bella around doesn't really like me. But then I think about how upset Bella was when she left, and how long it will take me to get to her place if I walk, so I shrug and nod. "Sure. Thanks, Jessica."

"No problem, Edward." I ignore the way she licks her lips and basically eye fucks me.

As soon as I'm in Bella's office I grudgingly redress, fixing my stupid goddamn suit. Maybe if I look more presentable, pudgy won't give me shit. I doubt it, but it's worth a shot, I guess.

I grab all of Bella's stuff, including the stupid fucking laptop that started this entire mess.

Fifteen minutes later, I'm in the back of the town car, on my way to Bella's place. The key she gave me seems to burn right through my pant's pocket, taunting me. There's no way she could've had the locks changed this quickly, but I still feel weird about using it to get in. She probably doesn't even want me to use it; doesn't want me to come back, after the way I treated her earlier.

I was just…so hurt. I wasn't thinking clearly. I just saw Carlisle's name sitting there, on the screen. It scared the shit out of me to see it there. Carlisle was the one man who was nice to me, the one human who wanted nothing in return for the help he willingly offered to me and my mother. I tried to take him up on that offer and he was gone. I felt like he abandoned me, which is fucking stupid, I know.

My heart begins beating rapidly when I think of the possibility that Bella could have contacted him. But why would she do that? What purpose would it serve but to hurt me? Carlisle wouldn't want anything to do with me. I'm just a fucked up kid that landed in his emergency room years ago. He probably doesn't even remember me.

And that's what I'm really afraid of.

I'm afraid that he won't remember me; won't remember my story and what happened to me. He won't remember wanting to help me. He won't want to help me now. But, what the hell could he do for me now, anyway? Nothing. I don't think I'd be able to take rejection from someone that I built up to be my savior. It'd be like finding out Santa Claus isn't real, or like calling Batman and him telling you, "Sorry kid, can't help ya."

"Hey!" My head jerks up and I see pudgy glaring at me. "We're here."

I don't say thank you. I don't say a word. I exit the car. My head is a mess of thoughts and my heart is a sea of raging emotions as I ride the elevator. When I reach Bella's door I hesitate, just for a second. I listen at her door, not hearing anything from inside.

I hope she came home. I hope she didn't just walk out of her office and wander the streets. Sure, it's the middle of the day, but this is still New York, and I know all too well the kind of people that wander the streets – no matter the time of day.

I slide the key quietly into the hole and open the door slowly. I wince when it creaks, but still hear nothing from inside. I walk in quietly, not wanting to scare Bella in case she is home. My eyes travel over the empty living room and kitchen. When I spot the heels Bella had on today in the middle of the living room, I breathe a sigh of relief.

As I walk down the hallway and I hear quiet sobbing coming from Bella's bedroom. The relief fades and is replaced by guilt and self-loathing.

Bella and I have so much to talk about. We both have so much to apologize for. We both have explaining to do; me, especially.

I decide, right there in the middle of the empty hallway, that its time to tell Bella _everything_.

After that, we can both decide what we want to do.

We'll decide if we can trust each other, if we want each other, and if this – whatever it is between us – will end up being something good for the two of us, or if it'll just cause us both unnecessary pain.

Either way, after tonight, we'll both have answers.

I swallow back the fear that creeps up my throat and knock on her slightly opened door.

The sobbing stops instantly, right along with my heart.


End file.
